FREERIDE AND WAVE GEAR – KW’S 2018 MEGA-TESTS CONTINUE

MAGAZINEMAGAZINE

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PROGRAM: NAME: NAME: PROGRAM: NAME: 3x2-139x43,5 - 138x42 137x41 - 136x40 - 135x39 SIZES: 5 SIZES: • 7 • 9 • LS V5 BLISS ASO MK9 PASSION ASO MK9 PASSION 10.5 REIE/FESYE/BGI WAVE / BIGAIR / FREESTYLE / FREERIDE REIE/FESYE/BGI WAVE / BIGAIR / FREESTYLE / FREERIDE • 12 •13• 15 • 17 T OD-KISS - WOOD - LTD IN: AVAILABLE RNEGA YNOAG PURPLE/PINK + CYAN/ORANGE + ORANGE/GRAY COLORS: AVAILABLE

BLISS V5 PASSION MK9 RIDERS: GRETA MENARDO - PHOTO: SVETLANA ROMANTSOVA MENARDO - PHOTO: RIDERS: GRETA

“DEVELOPED WITH PASSION, RIDDEN WITH STYLE” PERFORMANCE FREERIDE

SIZES: 135 X 40 // 138 X 41 // 141 X 42 // 144 X 43 7+( &2'( ,6 $1 28767$1',1* $// 5281' )5(( 5,'( 3(5)250$1&( 7:,1 7,3 %2$5' 7+$7ō6 )81 )$67 $1' 60227+ :,7+ 0$66,9( 323 327(17,$/,7+$6$5(),1('&20%,1$7,212)$352*5(66,9(287/,1( 0(',80 52&.(5 $1' )/(; :,7+ $ '28%/( &21&$9( %27720 6+$3( '(9(/23('63(&,),&$//<)25,17(50(',$7(72$'9$1&(')5((5,'(56

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HÅKON MÆLAND TEAM RIDERS: PATRICK BLANC // PAULINO PEREIRA CIT MODES / WAVE - ALLROUND-FREESTYLE 4.0 5.0 3 STRUT LIGHT FRAME 6.0 7.0 FUTURE-C SHAPE 8.0 RADICAL REACTION TIPS 9.0 10.0 6 YEARS WORLDWIDE 11.0 PARTS & SERVICE AVAILABILITY 12.0 13.5

MULTI-TALENTED UNIVERSAL+ SERIES KITE 15.0 WITH FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE HANDLING 17.0

MEET THE NEXUS. AN ATHLETIC KITE THAT IS NEVER TOO COOL TO LEARN A NEW TRICK. WHETHER IT'S ON YOUR FAVORITE SURFBOARD OR TWINTIP, THE NEXUS BRINGS EXCEPTIONAL VERSATILITY TO WAVE AND FREESTYLE RIDING. NEXUS. WILLOW AND AKKIE APPROVED. AND WE’VE SEEN WHAT THEY CAN DO.

FOLLOW US ON corekites.com | facebook.com/corekites | instagram.com/corekites | twitter.com/corekites CORE Kiteboarding +49 (0) 4371 / 88934-0 [email protected] Fehmarn, Germany

WAVE+ FREESTYLE / STRAPLESS FREERIDE

TWO CHARACTERS. ONE KITE. SHOP.NOBILESPORTS.COM #life is better when you are kiteboarding

I 014 / UP FRONT / CONTENTS I CONTENTS

REGULARS: 016 > EDITORIAL 022 > GALLERY Subject: Energy 034 > MOST WANTED It’s summer. Splash out 040 > SPY NETWORK A global news hit 052 > SESSIONS Olivia and Gisela ride Jaws 054 > MARK MY WORDS Mark Shinn with a swift beginner’s gear guide to foiling 120 > RESORT REPORT Wishing to stay in the Euro Zone? Head to the Golf de Roses and Sicily this summer for a sure fire holiday hit with your family and friends 130 > COACHING: WE DON’T YET KNOW WHAT WE DON’T KNOW Unlock performance levels that you never knew were there 134 > SENSI-BILIA Some of the most limiting factors to our own progression come from within. Sensi Graves has tips for overcoming the mental noise and boosting your levels 138 > MOTOR DRIVE Steven Akkersdijk takes your back roll up several style notches 144 > FINAL THOUGHT The biggest mega loop in the world was dangerous, but captivating 146 > SUBSCRIBE Support your favourite magazine! GOOFYS: 058 > THE NEURAL ADAPTATION PROJECT Occasional Kiteworld columnist, neuroscientist and avid kiter, Dr. Jason Gallate is back! Over the next couple of issues he reports on his experiment to find out whether exercising in the ocean every single day would guarantee happiness. First, he had to find some suitable toys for the conditions he faced... 066 > INTO TWIN GALAXIES Courageous explorer and kite-skier Sarah McNair-Landry joined extreme adventure kayakers, Ben Stookesberry and Erik Boomer, for an epic ice cap expedition 076 > THE ALTERNATIVE AFRICAN EXPERIENCE Vibrations from a visit to Kenya by James Boulding 084 > KEEP SCORING 102 > TWIN-TIPS Kiteworld testers Chris and Jim headed off to Cape Verde for six days in April Featuring: the Core Fusion, F-One Carbon Trax, Lieuwe Len10, Naish Motion, to check out a new kite from Core called the Nexus that aims to break down Nobile NHP Split, North Select, Slingshot Misfit and Takoon Source the great contradiction: a wave kite that can boost and loop... 110 > WAVE KITES 091 > KITEWORLD CAPE TOWN TESTS Featuring: the Naish Slash and Slingshot Wave SST Our annual mega test reports continue... 112 > SURFBOARDS 092 > FREERIDE KITES Featuring: the North Wam and Takoon Burning Featuring: the Airush Lithium, Gaastra Spark, North Evo, Peter Lynn Escape, 116 > ACCESSORIES RRD Passion, Slingshot Rally and CrazyFly Sculp Featuring: the Manera Meteor X10 wetsuit and HB Surfkite Legacy harness I 015 I

COVER: Steven Akkersdijk squeezing the day harder. Cape Town PHOTO: Ydwer van der Heide CONTENTS: There’s something in the summer air. It’s often Brandon Scheid PHOTO: Vincent Bergeron I 016 / UP FRONT / EDITORIAL I

EDITORIAL

Caption: Langebaan, South Africa THERE’S AN ART TO FILLING TIME Photo: Lightbros / RRD ime can slip through your fingers very quickly. My favourite takenoutofyourhands,welearntoadaptandbemoreeffective. becausetheymakeotherwisepoorconditionsbecomealotmore type of old people are like my gran used to be; they fill you We shouldn’t be economical with fun. Play is the activity that fun. In his 70th KW column he presents a mini buyer’s guide for Twith enthusiasm for life and, while they ensure that you unites us with all creatures, so, we know it’s right to do it, but first time foilers on page 054. understand it’s important to take care of your chores, you also can we design it in such a way that it guarantees happiness? How Meanwhile KW chief tester Chris Bull and myself headed off to need to let loose and have as much fun as you can doing the much play does it take before we’re really satisfied? Sal in Cape Verde to try a kite that promises to be the ultimate things you love. Doctor of neuroscience and kitesurfing fanatic, Jason all-round machine and could cut down your time spent deciding It’s easy to like the idea of that, but holding onto it and Gallate, is an occasional contributor to the magazine and has what to ride. Find out more on page 084. maximising fun can actually be quite difficult. Life gets in the written extensive features on what goes on in our brains when Kiteworld’s associate editor, Matt Pearce, is also co-owner of way. High energies and ambitions slide. we’re ‘at play’ and how we can best achieve the ultimate state a gym and, having already run one ultra marathon (100 miles) Nine months as a father has been an eye opening experience. of flow. He also profiled Jesse Richman and Nick Jacobsen for a couple of years ago, has signed up for another one later this All the best aspects of life and nature seem to be so much more us, tapping into why they’re wired up to perform the stunts year. He’s had trainers coach him most of his life, but he’s a self- apparent in the early months of parenthood as you nurture your they do. (You can read that archive feature on the website now taught kitesurfer. He wonders why that’s the case and this issue young, but so too does the stark reality of passing time. It’s if you’re interested in his findings – search ‘Jason Gallate’ at outlines how a change in attitude will surely help him and you easy to see how life can quickly pass you by and suddenly you’ll kiteworldmag.com) progress quicker. We Don’t Yet Know What We Don’t Know is on become old. In his day job as a psychologist he deals with many patients page 130. I’m lucky to be able to share baby business with my wife and I who are extraordinarily sad. In this issue’s feature he quotes the Elsewhere Sarah McNair-Landry and friends adapted their still have no idea how working single parents manage to cram all psychiatrist Gordon Livingstone who said, “It is hard for a human approach to use kites as a transport tool to reach an extremely that they do into their day. I have however started to understand to be unhappy if they have someone to love, something to do and remote river for a totally epic kayak adventure in Greenland that it’s possible to survive on much less sleep and that my brain something to look forward to”. Jason says that time and again (page 066). We conclude our Cape Town mega test reports with won’t have exploded by bed time. his patients fail at at least one of the three. another batch of freeride and wave gear reviews (page 091). Golf I have also noticed with less free time to fritter away that I’ve So he set about creating an experiment to see if it’s possible de Roses in Spain and Lo Stagnone in Sicily are two European become much more organised in my preparation to enjoy it when to design a way to be challenged in the ocean every day and used venues that may have slipped under your radar. We break them it comes. My weekend window of opportunity might now start on some of his science-y skills to measure whether it will guarantee down from page 120, while James Boulding shares vibrations Tuesday night when I’m reading up on wing angles while waiting an upgrade in happiness. from a soul stirring trip to Kenya on page 076. for the baby’s sterilser to finish another cycle. My energy levels Kitesurfers are lucky in that we always have something to Jason’s right: as kitesurfers we have so much to look forward have actually got higher, I’m more active because I have to be look forward to, but what can we do about failing conditions? We to, but often it’s about opening up to adaptation if we’re to really and because I don’t want Juliette to have a dad that gets old find toys that will work! Read part one of his Neural Adaptation thrive in the environment. before his time. So he needs to stay fresh! Project now on page 058. See you on the water, I’ve also managed to get more focused at work. When time is Mark Shinn understands that the formula for foiling works Jim KW

I 018 / UP FRONT / MASTHEAD I

Johann Civel in Chamonix, France, facing Mont Blanc du Tacul Photo: Hugues Beaume / RideUp / Ozone

JIM GA ART DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTORS IAN ROXBURGH > [email protected] YDWER VAN DER HEIDE, LUDOVIC FRANCO, TOBY BROMWICH, TOM SERVAIS, ROBERT ASSOCIATE EDITOR HAJDUK, RAMON SCHÖENMAKER, JAMES BOULDING, JASON GALLATE, THOMAS MATT PEARCE > [email protected] BURBLIES, STEVEN AKKERSDIJK, SENSI GRAVES, RICK DOBROWSKI, LACI KOBULSKI, SARAH MCNAIR-LANDRY, ERIK BOOMER, JOHANN CIVEL, WAREK ARNAUD, NOÉ FONT, TECHNICAL EDITORS SZILVIA BOLYKI, VINCENT BERGERON, TOM COURT, RYAN OSMOND, SENSI GRAVES CHRIS BULL, JIM GAUNT, MATT PEARCE and NEAL GENT HEAD OFFICE / KITEWORLD MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING 25 Lintot Square, Southwater, Horsham, JAMES ‘STAN’ STANLEY > [email protected] West Sussex, RH13 9LA, UNITED KINGDOM DANIELLE GAUNT > [email protected] EMAIL: [email protected] STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS TEL: +44 (0) 1273 808601 JOHN BILDERBACK / YDWER VAN DER HEIDE FAX: +44 (0) 5600 655815 DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT WWW.KITEWORLDMAG.COM CRAIG SAWYER > [email protected] WWW.THEKITESHOW.TV TEA BOY HUGH MILLER > [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS: SUBSCRIPTIONS PRINT: £33 / €43 / US$56 ADVERTISING PRODUCTION: 328 MEDIA SUBSCRIPTIONS DIGITAL: £9 / €13 / US$14 SUBSCRIPTIONS: [email protected] PRINT AND DIGITAL COMBO: £35 / €45 / US$60 CORE SHOP DISTRIBUTION: *10% discount for auto-renew on all options [email protected] KITEWORLD (ISSN: 1477-1314) is published bi-monthly by 328 Media Ltd and distributed in the US by Ascendia USA, ACCOUNTS: [email protected] 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe NJ 08831. Periodical postage paid at New Brunswick, NJ and additional mailing offices. PUBLISHER: 328 MEDIA LTD POSTMASTER: send address changes to Kiteworld (328 Media), 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe NJ 08831 #BREAKBOUNDARIES majestic X HARNESS

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DASH

SIZES: 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 FREESTYLE/FREERIDE

There’s a world of options competing for your attention. How you choose to spend it deines you. Not easily tamed, the Dash is a fast-turning kite built to move. Its powerful pull, ample barpressure and direct feel make it the dynamic choice for any core kiter that likes to steer. Adrenaline junkies with the skills to unlock its strengths are in for an exhilarating ride.

RIDE BOXER

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From the dynamic power of the Dash, forgiving and intuitive controls of the Ride, to the light and lively feel of the Boxer, our kites are so much more than balanced constructions of polyester and string. They are devices to transform your experience and lift you to reach new milestones. We approach each design with that in mind; carefully crafting each detail to deine your best moments on the water. Regardless of your skills or experience level, there’s a kite in our line that’s engineered to work perfectly with your unique riding style. Maximize your time on the water with Naish.

NaishKiteboarding naish_kiteboarding naishkites.com Europe: Kubus Sports BV • 035 695 4 695 • [email protected] North America: Paciic Boardsports LLC • (509) 493-0043 • [email protected] Photo: frankiebees.com, Rider: Ewan Jaspan, Featured: 2018/19 Dash Kite, 2018 Drive Twin Tip I 022 / UP FRONT / GALLERY I

GALLERY SUBJECT: ENERGY ENERGY, N. 1. DRIVE, INTENSITY, FIRE. FORCE, JUICE, POWER. SPIRIT, STAMINA, STRENGTH. I 023 I

RUBEN LENTEN, HIGH WIND TANGO IN TARIFA PHOTO: LUDOVIC FRANCO I 024 / UP FRONT / GALLERY I I 025 I

GALLERY

AQUA MECHANICS PHOTO: ROBERT HAJDUK / SHUTTERSAIL.COM I 026 / UP FRONT / GALLERY I I 027 I

BELOW: OLIVIA JENKINS, MAUI (SEE MORE FROM HER AT JAWS ON PAGE 52) PHOTO: TOBY BROMWICH GALLERY

LEFT: IVO POIONETTI, PLANET EARTH PHOTO: NINO JONAS I 028 / UP FRONT / GALLERY I

GALLERY

HIGHLY CHARGED: KAI LENNY, SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA PHOTOS: TOM SERVAIS I 029 I Now it’s your turn to START FOILING!

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PROLIMITS PATENTED PIN-RELEASE: 1. The Prolimit Patented pin-release spreader bar is quick, easy and safe. 2. Symmetrical tension distribution for added safety. 3. Pin-release can be released under load. I 034 / PRODUCTS / MOST WANTED I MOST WANTED NEW PRODUCTS HEADING YOUR WAY

CORE u One kite to rule them all? The all-new Nexus is a high-performance hybrid kite designed to do the business for wave riding, freeriding or freestyling. A combination of the GTS4 and the Section 2, the Nexus offers customisable tuning: open up the turning radius and rig it for extra hang-time and it will become a big-air / mega looping machine, or dial it in for the surf and it becomes an ultra-responsive wave riding engine. Our test team has already ridden it. Head to page 84 for more. SIZES: 13.5, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4 m + LW 17m and 15m AIRUSH u www.corekites.com The Razor is Airush’s dedicated weapon for the rider searching for uncompromising freestyle action. Designed alongside former World Champion Alex Pastor, the kite is tuned y for massive pop, elite level unhooked performance and unhindered kite looping. However, DAKINE as we’ve seen over many seasons, it’s honestly very user-friendly for a C-kite. The bar feel Dakine have teamed up with guest artist Lisa Marques to create their new spring / summer is comfortable and the wind range is impressive, while the Dyneema load frame means ‘Lizzy Collection’. Featuring a range of products that capture the free-spirited folk-meets- the kite’s strength is increased without an increase in weight. tattoo stylings of Lisa’s work, there are backpacks, totes, apparel and sun protection. RAZOR SIZES: 15, 13, 11, 10, 9, 7 and 6m There’s also some swimwear and summer neoprene in the mix with colourful prints and www.airush.com hand drawn graphics inspired by the ocean. www.dakine.com

FCD t Californian surfboard shapers FCD have been making FLYSURFER u custom directionals for years but they’ve now got a The Flysurfer Soul is the latest multi-purpose foil dedicated kitesurf board range, with everything from big kite designed for foiling, snowkiting and even wave guns to fun stubbies for crumbly shories. The Kite twin-tip freeriding. Flysurfer achieved a special light weight Gun featured on the cover of KW #91 under the feet of Reo construction by using the X-Light fabric because of its ability Stevens and is a narrower shape with extra rocker and to blend maximum performance and durability. The low weight additional rail line to hold in big, hollow, faster waves. of the wing makes it ultra-stable, so it’s fantastic for getting The Blunt is a more compact design for a super tight going with your foil on lighter days, but it will also retain shape turning radius, even in smaller surf, while the quad fins when boosting in strong winds. Just like an LEI-kite, Flysurfer’s and four-channel bottom get you back upwind quickly after ‘One Line’ Relaunch system ensures it’s not in the water every wave. Sitting between the two is the Shrike - a high long and full control is achieved thanks to the kite’s precise performance classic shape for average waves up to bigger, handling that allows it to kick out consistent power through more powerful surf and can be ridden as a quad or thruster. the loop. KW test report coming soon! SIZES: Custom options on FCD’s website. SOUL SIZES: 21, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8 and 6m www.fcdsurfboards.com www.flysurfer.com AARON HADLOW

WEARING THE

ONYX AMP UNITED BY STOKE

SURFING ELEMENTS

ION-PRODUCTS.COM I 036 / PRODUCTS / MOST WANTED I

FORTY 1 KKITESURFING s Look out for a thoought-provoking new design that’s currently in the latter stagess of development with local universities who are helping optimise the design performance. The Hydrofin is a low profile hydrofoil that retrofits to your existing kiteboard, allowing you to ride in lighter winds whilst stayings in shallow waters. The small size makes it ideal for travelling (it can easily fit in your car). The cost has been kept down by using ‘standard’ materials (i.e. not carbon fibre / plastics with fillers), with the current iterations all being 3D printed. The initial INOBO u release is expected at the end of summer 2018. ‘Ino’ means goddess of calm seas. ‘Bo’ stands for board. Founders Antonin and www.forty1kitesurfing.co.uk Thomas had the idea for a transparent board built within a carbon skeleton while they were students. Now, three years on, it’s a reality and you can choose the size and shape of your deck that fits within the carbon skeleton. Customising and modifying your deck is easy and affordable. So whether you want to change the size, or replace your deck because of scratches or you simply want a different colour, you just order a new deck to fit in your existing skeleton for just €99. Inobo boards are sold complete for €799. www.inobo.fr ION s The Onyx Amp is available as a front zip or zipperless design and incorporates a tight fit with superior freedom of movement. A highly elastic material in the knee and arm panels results in fantastic mobility when you bend your knees on landing or lean into a bottom turn. The elasticated seam tape secures the areas of the suit that get stretched the most and the Hotstuff inner lining provides excellent heat retention without impeding the suit’s flexibility. www.ion-products.com

LEVITAZ v The Match is a new truly dedicated board for foiling, featuring beveled edges, a slightly concave deck for the best feeling of control and a nose shape and rocker-line that are optimised for soft touchdowns and to promote early planing. Aimed at both beginners and hobby racers there are options for a two or three strap set-up and a sliding track system to help you find the perfect feel. Constructed from a lightweight carbon / glass layup there are strong reinforcements in the standing area, around the fin boxes and foil mounts. SIZE: 142 x 44cm www.levitaz.com LIQUID FORCE x Ultra-efficient with bags of low end power, the all-new P1 is a versatile hybrid design and just in time for summer! Whether you’re hitting a slider or boosting big, the open, five-strut canopy makes for a rigid airframe that stays stable in punchy conditions while the minimalist, low-drag bridle delivers smooth and responsive turning. Features include LF’s super-quick MaxFlow Inflation System and T3 Teijn Triple Ripstop canopy, which is layered to provide effective reinforcement without adding weight. SIZES: 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4m www.liquidforcekites.com OCEAN RODEO t Ocean Rodeo have just introduced the Pilot Bar which will sit alongside the Stick Shift in their control system quiver. It’s an easy-to-use, front line trim bar with custom engineered components made from durable materials to ensure enhanced precision and control. Available in two lengths, 46cm and 52cm there’s also a generous 52cm throw for impressive depower. The Gen 8 chicken loop safety system is very user-friendly and the bar is compatible with all Ocean Rodeo kites. www.oceanrodeo.com Essential Experience in Brazil?

As kitesurfers, we move through life with the power of the wind. e-group was born from a passion for windsurfing and kitesurfing as a way to explore the world and discover unique experiences.

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We are an alliance of hotels that offer an enchantment to lovers of wind sports, with charm, high level service, and the preserved, natural landscapes where we’re located.

egroup.net.br • Tel: +55 11 5561.1016 • [email protected] egrouphotels egroup_hotels I 038 / PRODUCTS / MOST WANTED I PROLIMIT v PETER LYNN t The Predator is a moulded waist harness with a lower side The seventh generation Escape retains its 4-strut, open profile that allows more body contortion for manoeuvrability. C-shape design for the committed freestyle / wakestyle The moulded shell construction gives high external rider. Thanks to its rider oriented performance and stability while the neoprene moulded pillow and foam inside confidence-inspiring controls, the Escape V7 offers construction ensures comfort. readily available power in a controllable manner. The wide, strut-free middle section provides The Predator incorporates ProLimit’s new patented ‘Pin- the grunt and boost you need for going big while the Escape is also potent for unhooked Release’ system which is quick and easy to use and very secure. freestyle. The Escape delivers, as you’ll read in our test report on page 95. www.prolimit.com ESCAPE V7 SIZES: 17, 15, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 and 5m www.peterlynnkiteboarding.com

SHINN x Shinn’s 2018 Spring collection features some of the most fun-to-ride performance twin-tips on the market. Some classic boards are back for this season including the all-carbon Bronq (one of our favourite performance freeride boards!), while the ADHD Freakshow delivers top-end freestyle performance and yet retains comfort in choppier conditions. RRD v Other freeride offerings include the Pinbot, the Monk and light wind models like the King Gee and Bernhard. Those are just a few boards in the twinny line-up, but Shinn also make some of the most user-friendly foil set-ups on the The 2018 RRD Y23 harness range is one of the biggest out market, with four different foils and two boards to choose from for foilers of all levels. Look out for the new Mega-K there with models to suit riders of every level across a wing which is great for using in waves by all accounts, which we’ll be further checking out soon! range of disciplines and conditions. The all-new premium www.shinnworld.com Shield harness features a low profile carbon outer shell for maximum support and minimal weight. SLINGSHOT TURBINE s Alternatively, the Shift Pro is the most The Turbine’s high-powered shape offers more pull-per-size than any other Slingshot comfortable harness with a thicker, kite, ensuring that you get impressive power, even from the smaller sizes. larger and flatter inner plate. The The high-aspect ratio design makes for long and lofty jumps while Thrive has a more vertically curved loops remain slow and deep through the window. The upwind shape for riders that prefer an drive and low-end efficiency is impressive and this is a upright riding position and it’s more perfect kite for the summer breezes! flexible with a softer fit that adapts TURBINE SIZES: 19, 17, 15 and 13 m to your body shape - ideal for light www.slingshotsports.com wind sessions or shorter days on the water. There’s also the women’s-specific Sense harness as well as seat harnesses and models for groms and beginners, too! www.robertoriccidesigns.com

I 040 / NEWS / SPY NETWORK I SPY NETWORK AIRTON ENDS HIS BARREN SPELL IN DAKHLA WHILE JALOU SQUARES UP TO MOONA WORDS: MATT PEARCE / PHOTOS: YDWER VAN DER HEIDE THE SECOND STOP ON THIS YEAR’S GKA KITE-SURF WORLD TOUR TOOK PLACE IN DAKHLA, WESTERN SAHARA, IN THE LAST WEEK OF APRIL. AIRTON COZZOLINO MADE IT TWO WINS FROM TWO EVENTS THIS SEASON, WHILE JALOU LANGEREE PULLED LEVEL WITH MOONA WHYTE. KW’S MATT PEARCE WAS ON THE SCENE AND WITNESSED THE ACTION AS IT UNFOLDED

Pedro Matos, Brazilian up and comer I 041 I

When there’s strapless freestyle in the game, Carla Herrera Oria from Spain is setting the benchmark for the women surf and her singles win was testament to how much she’s also a KSWT first when both riders drew on points, but Sebastian improved her backside riding since the last event in Cape Verde. took the heat as most of his points had been awarded for his Airton’s riding was nuanced and faultless. He hasn’t always wave riding and, as that was the dominant element in the shone in light winds in the past, but on that day he rode well, judging criteria, the win was his. expertly shifting his weight forward to keep his planing speed Sebastian will be a real contender this year. So too, his friend as he sighted up sections before jumping into surf stance and and fellow Brazilian Pedro Matos, another wave specialist who hammering the lip with a barrage of fast turns. has also improved his strapless level. Sebastian knocked him With the singles done, it was straight into the doubles on day out of this event, but he managed a fourth place finish ahead three and tensions started to build. The riders who’d done well of some top level riders in Cape Verde, so still holds sixth place so far would have to wait until day four to defend their positions overall after two events. with stiff competition coming their way. At the top of the division, Airton has been unshakable so far The DR’s Jan Marcos Riveras put on his best performance to but his wins have been tight and, had Keahi not gotten sucked date,beginningarelentlessmarchupthetable,winningheatafter into doing strapless freestyle tricks further downwind (he made heat and combining massive technical freestyle skill with some of his first attempt at a strapless handle-pass in competition in the most aggressive frontside hacks of the whole event. He could Dakhla), things could well have gone the other way. Airton’s have gone all the way, but the mastery of Brazilian Sebastian riding well, but there’s a long season ahead yet! Ribeiro stopped him in the double-elimination semi-finals. In the women’s division, things are hotting up too with Jalou Sebastian was another standout. His next level wave riding Langeree now level on points with Moona Whyte and her win saw him reach the podium in Cape Verde, but strapless freestyle could signal a turning point in their ongoing duel for this year’s isn’t something he’s largely focused on. However, over the winter title. Jalou hasn’t ridden backside much in recent years, but on he and many other riders have clearly seen the importance this tour she’ll be forced to, so this win is a big one for her as of upping their freestyle level and it paid off for him in the she’s shown how strong she can be on her less-favoured foot! combination contest in Dakhla. Behind Moona and Jalou, Ines Correia once again proved how He managed to beat Matchu Lopes, one of the tour’s top deserving she is of her third place position, seeing off strapless strapless freestylers, in a heat in which 40% of the points were freestyle specialist, Carla Herrera Oria. being awarded for freestyle trickery and 60% for wave. It was The next event will be in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, in June.

GKA KSWT DAKHLA RESULTS GKA KSWT 2018 CHAMPIONSHIP RANKINGS MEN’S DIVISION MEN’S DIVISION Jalou up top on the women’s podium 1: Airton Cozzolino (CV) North, ION, Red Bull 1: Airton Cozzolino – 4200 pts 2: Keahi de Aboitiz (AUS) Cabrinha, NP 2: Keahi de Aboitiz – 4134 pts 3: Mitu Monteiro (CV) F-One, Manera 3: Sebastian Ribeiro – 4035 pts 4: Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) North, ION 4: Mitu Monteiro – 4002 pts WOMEN’S DIVISION 5: Jan Marcos Riveras – 3903 pts 1: Jalou Langeree (NL) Mystic, Naish WOMEN’S DIVISION 2: Moona Whyte (USA) Cabrinha, NP 1: Jalou Langeree – 4167 pts 3: Ines Correia (PT) North, ION 2: Moona Whyte – 4167 pts 4: Carla Herrera Oria - (ESP) Ocean Rodeo 3: Ines Correia – 4068 pts 4: Carla Herrera Oria – 3969 pts 5: Marie Gautron– 3936 pts

Two wins from two, Airton is devastatingly strong this year Find full rankings and results for all events at: www.global-kitesports.org KW I 042 / NEWS / SPY NETWORK I SPY NETWORK RED BULL RAGNAROK 2018 350 RIDERS LINED UP TO TAKE ON THIS LEGENDARY SNOWKITE EVENT IN THE RUGGED WILDERNESS OF THE HARDANGERVIDDA PLATEAU IN SOUTHERN NORWAY IN APRIL. JUST THREE COMPETITORS COMPLETED THE COURSE IN THIS THE NINTH YEAR OF THE COMPETITION, WHICH MAY WELL HAVE BEEN THE TOUGHEST TO DATE WORDS: MATT PEARCE

Off to the unknown Photo: Daniel Tengs / Red Bull Content Pool

he Red Bull Ragnarok is often lauded as the toughest shewasn’tabletofullyconquerthecoursethisyearandcameup Geared up for a serious challenge event in kiting by those who’ve done it and takes place in short of the full five laps. She did take her third win at the event Photo: Nobile Kiteboarding Tthe harsh surroundings of the largest high plain in Europe. though as the female skier who covered the furthest distance Competitors can race in either ski or snowboard categories, and vowed to return once again and complete the entire course. with skiers routinely logging the fastest times around the 100 If the shifty winds weren’t bad enough competitors also kilometre-plus total course distance. found themselves having to navigate sizeable snowdrifts that The course covers exposed ridges, cliff drops and deep dotted the course, which is especially hard in the fickle winds of valleys where fickle mountain winds can die completely, leaving the Hardangervidda Plateau. the riders stranded and having to pack down their kites and Felix Kersten, a two time former Ragnarok champion who hike their way back out to higher ground. Competitors aim to has competed at the event four times and never yet failed to complete five laps of the course. podium, was gunning hard for his third victory in the ski division Last year the Ragnarok course was extended by 30 but was thwarted by Florian Gruber, despite staying close to him In the men’s snowboard division Pete Martel, who won the kilometres to a total 130 kilometre distance. Just eight of the throughout the race. 2016 event even after having to stop to repair a broken kite line 350 entrants managed five laps in blistering conditions. German “After four hours and 120 kilometres, I was just two minutes along the way, seized the win ahead of Ronny Bollhalder from rider Felix Kersten won the 2017 event in three hours and 40 behind Florian on the final lap and during the lap before I’d been Switzerland. It was a particularly brutal day of competition for minutes - notching up a 27 minute lead over Bruce Kessler from just 11 seconds behind him. Sadly the wind almost died during the snowboarders who have much more trouble walking their Switzerland in winds of up to 50 knots! that final lap and Florian had a kite five metres bigger than mine, way out of no-wind zones. Pete had to complete his final lap on This year the course had been slightly shortened but it would so he was able to pull ahead”. foot after his kite dropped within sight of the finish line and he prove to be just as challenging, albeit for different reasons. The Having won in 2016, this was Florian’s second victory and his came within minutes of being the fourth rider to complete the winds were much lighter, presenting a challenge in itself as two minute overall lead highlights just how tight this year’s race course this year (only the top three men’s skiers made it!). riders battled to navigate the notoriously difficult terrain. This was over such a long distance. “It was hard, as always! I’m dead exhausted, I’m sure year flying skills, course awareness and tactical experience “It’s my third time competing here and for sure it was the everyone else is too.” he said. “Ragnarok is like no other race would be key! hardest yet. We had good wind to start with and were riding and requires so much endurance. You can never go slow and Steph Bridge was competing for the fourth time and is one smaller kites, but then we had to rig bigger ones in between need to give a hundred percent the whole time - maybe a of the most experienced kite racers in the world as a veteran laps. At one point my kite dropped so the other guys passed me. hundred and ten!”. of formula class and foil racing world circuits. Even she had to To overtake them again was the hardest thing ever and I’m super Due to its reputation, the event also attracts well-known concede to the conditions. happy to have won the battle!”. riders who aren’t from the race scene and current Woo World “Over the course there was a massive range of wind strength While many of the Ragnarok riders are snowkiting specialists, Height Record holder Josh Emanuel also took part this year. Josh and direction.” she said. “You might have needed a 20 metre at Florian also competes on the world foil racing circuit and he is from Durban in South Africa, so he’s not an athlete with much the first gate and then a nine metre at the third. The wind would finished third overall on last year’s HydroFoil Pro Tour against experience in the snow (he’s also a big guy we should add!), and often drop to nothing and then you needed to pack your kite and some of the best racers in the world. Snowkiting is by no means this might be why he only completed one full lap of the course walk or skate to another hill to get it back in the air.” his speciality, but it seems his undeniable skill as a racer served but he hucked it off some cliffs anyway and said it was an Steph had a commanding lead in the women’s ski division but him well once again this year at Ragnarok. incredible experience for him nonetheless! I 043 I

The only three to finish the course – winner Florian Gruber, Felix Kersten and Jonas Lengwiler Photo: Kyle Mehr / Red Bull Content Pool RED BULL RAGNAROK 2018 RESULTS: MEN’S SKI Florian Gruber (GER) Flysurfer, Levitaz, Neil Pryde Felix Kersten (GER) Peter Lynn Jonas Lengwiler (SUI) Ozone MEN’S SNOWBOARD Peter Martel (CAN) Ozone, Element Kite Paddle Surf Nikita Solokov (RUS) Artem Garashchenko (RUS) North, Nobile Snowboards 350 started and just three finished all five laps WOMEN’S SKI Photo: Kyle Mehr / Red Bull Content Pool Steph Bridge (GBR) Edge Watersports, North Kiteboarding, Fat Face, Cat Rugged phones, ION Frøydis Sjøvold (NOR) Camilla Ringvold (NOR) Cabrinha WOMEN’S SNOWBOARD Valeria Garaschenko (RUS) Paraavis Kites, Nobile, UbaStation, Cool Zone Marie-Eve Mayland (CAN) Ozone, Sundog, Roxy Aija Ambrasa (LAT) INTO THE GAMES e now know the 24 riders who will be the first ever kiteboarders at any Olympic Games! The recent Youth TT:R worlds in China decided the last few places. The DR / Cabarete crew Ware always a threat in freestyle and now it seems they’re up for the racing battle. They showed outstanding improvement with Adeuri Corniel eventually winning the boy’s division while Nina Font Castell from Spain took the girls win (Noe’s sister). They both go through, along with these potential stars of the future: Geronimo Lutteral (ARG) Maria Valentina Alvarez Villarroel (VEN) Tiger Tyson (ATG) Lou Marin (DOM) Toni Vodisek (SVN) Photo: Alex Schwarz Manoel Soares Dos Santos Neto (BRA) Sofia Tomasoni (ITA) Jonas Ouahmid (MAR) Rut Gouws (RSA) Adeuri Corniel (DOM) Nina Font Castells (SPN) Haoran Zhang (CHN) Martin Dolenc (HRV) Benoit Gomez (FRA) Poema Newland (FRA) Jingle Chen (CHN) Mani Bisschops (AUS) Pia Kitchin Gordon (NZL) Nichanan Rodthong (THA) Alina Kornelli (GER) +2 riders from developing countries and 2 from the host nation, Argentina

Coming up, we investigate what it takes for the teams to get to the Olympics. I 044 / NEWS / SPY NETWORK I SPY NETWORK Keahi de Aboitiz – keeping his wave and title count high Photo: Ydwer van der Heide / GKA Kite-Surf World WORLD NEWS – Tour Mauritius STAY IN THE LOOP HYDROFOIL PRO TOUR The HydroFoil Pro Tour will be in Montpellier, France, from 18th - 21st May at Festikite for the second event of the season. Olly Bridge and Dani Moroz will defend their early tour leads after winning the first event of the season in La Ventana, Mexico. The tour then returns to the infamous San Francisco Yacht Club at Crissy Field from 6 - 10th June where racers will compete under the iconic Golden Gate Bridge! www.hydrofoilprotour.com

Florian Gruber, men’s Red Bull Ragnarok ski winner Photo: Kyle Mehr / Red Bull Content Pool FIVE FAIRLY FASCINATING FACTS The HFPT is an open class for fast paced, WOW YOUR MATES WITH MORE anything goes racing and development KITESURFING TRIVIA... Photo: Glen Bowden 1. Thierry Collado recently hit 99.75 kph (61.98 mph) on a landboard flying a Flysurfer Boost 2. That’s a new World Record TT:R OPEN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS and he’s now homing in on his target speed of 100 kph! The Twin-Tip Racing discipline is steadily gaining speed with its 2. Only eight competitors were able to complete a full five laps OlympicdebutdrawingnearattheYouthOlympicGamesinOctober. of the challenging Red Bull Ragnarok course in 2017.This year This summer will also see one of the biggest TT:R events, the TT:R just three riders made it round! Training needed for 2019! Open World Championships, take place at Hang Loose Beach in 3. Having collected four world titles, Keahi de Aboitiz is the Gizzeria, Italy. Men and women will race in separate divisions or most successful competitive wave rider. in a mixed fleet (depending on the number of entrants) and are 4. Kiteboarders weren’t the first to realise the potential that allowed to race on foil kites.TheYouth Division will be restricted to kites had for lifting fully grown humans skyward. They were SLE kites in keeping with the Olympic format. This will be the last actually banned in some areas of East Germany during the major twin-tip race event before the Youth Olympic Games begin Cold War in case people tried to use them to jump over the in Buenos Aires, Argentina, so you can expect to see the top TT:R Berlin Wall. chargers getting some practice in down at Hang Loose! 5. Kites were also supposedly banned in Japan in 1760 because www.hangloosebeach.it it seemed that many people preferred to fly them rather than www.internationalkiteboarding.org TT:R race track, Hangloose Beach in Italy go to work (we know the feeling!).

THIS SUCKS! We recently stumbled across this at the beach. The Remora foil plate is compatible with any foil and can be attached to any board using industrial suction pads, the likes of which are used to move heavy panes of thickened glass on construction sites. Using one of these means you can attach your foil to any board, so you don’t even need to own a foil specific board. It also allows you to travel with a foil which you can then attach to a rental board on light wind days and Remora also make a larger plate for SUPs. We reserve judgement on the effectiveness and resilience of the design, but the idea looks good! SOUL

FREERIDE, FREESTYLE, LIGHTWIND 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21

// X-LIGHT CONSTRUCTION // EFFORTLESS BOOSTING // SUPERB RELAUNCH & HANDLING

The SOUL is an impressively diverse character. It mutates from a comfortable lightweight low-wind cruiser to a sporty freestyler. Featuring technical lightweight kite construction, the highest safety standards and precise control and bar feedback. The great water relaunch and improved drainage system bring it all together to make the kite truly user friendly. Be inspired by the vision of the SOUL.

FOLLOW FLYSURFERKITEBOARDING | FLYSURFER.COM ... AHEAD OF ITS TIME I 046 / NEWS / SPY NETWORK I SPY NETWORK WORLD EVENT NEWS

Joshua Emanuel on his way to winning last year’s Red Bull MegaLoop Challenge Photo: Jarno Schurgers / Red Bull Content Pool 2017 Triple-S winner, Ewan Jaspan MEGALOOP CHALLENGE WIND VOYAGER Photo: Toby Bromwich / Windvoyager Triple-S Invitational The waiting period has begun and the line-up has been announced for the 2018 Red Bull Megaloop Challenge after a TRIPLE-S INVITATIONAL flurry of wildcard entry videos dropped over the last few months. The biggest park riding event going, the Wind Voyager Ten international riders had already been carefully selected Triple-S Invitational, returns to Cape Hatteras from 2 - for the event, earning their places based on their performances 8th June when competitors will throw down for $50,000 at previous editions of the event and their mega looping prowess! prize money across the infamous obstacles of the REAL Alongside the pre-qualified riders, there were six places up Watersports slider park. for grabs for the riders with the most insane wildcard videos. Last year, Ewan Jaspan won the event for the first time Four of them have now been handed out with two more still to be after a tight battle against Sam Light and Brandon Scheid, issued closer to the time of the event. while Colleen Carroll topped the women’s podium ahead of Here’s who made the cut. Annelous Lammerts and Karolina Winkowska. PRE-QUALIFIED: The stakes will be just as high this year and the Triple-S will Ruben Lenten (NL) make up one of the three stops on this year’s Kite Park League Nick Jacobsen (DK) tour. As usual there will be seven days of on-water action and Lasse Walker (NL) nightly festivities with Ky-Mani Marley and The Roots already Joshua Emanuel (RSA) confirmed for a couple of the post-session parties! Steven Akkersdijk (NL) www.triplesinvitational.com Ross-Dillon Player (RSA) Kevin de Smidt (NL) Gijs Wassenar (NL) SEND IT - THE MOVIE cameo role, appearing as herself; an icon of kiteboarding. Other Jerrie van de Kop (NL) Kiteboarding will feature in its first feature-length movie this featured kiteboarders will be: Rita Arnaus, Colleen Carroll, Julia Louk Timmer (NL) summer (if you discount that scene from Die Another Day when Castro, Craig Cunningham, Noe Font, Sensi Graves, Sam Light, WILDCARDS: James Bond escapes the bad guys using a parachute as a kite Sam Medysky, Brandon Scheid, Jason Slezak, Tripp Forman and Antoine Clerc (FRA) and a car bonnet as a board). ‘Send It’ is being filmed at and after Matt Nuzzo. Ryan de Witte (NL) the Triple-S and tells the story of a young up-and-coming kiter Andrew Stevens is directing the movie which will be produced Janek Grzegorsewki (PL) from landlocked Dallas, Texas who travels to the Triple-S to take by Charlie McKinney. The script is also written by Charlie who Ben van den Burg (NL) his shot at kiteboarding stardom. An epic underdog struggle and happens to be the owner of Windvoyager, sponsor of the Triple-S. a love triangle ensues between the main protagonist, his stuck- The budget for this project is approximately $2 million and Sam The waiting period for the event is open now and closes 1st up former lover and a free spirit he meets along the way. Sam Light reckons the stunts they’ve talked about filming already are November. Bring on the storms! Find out more at: Light is also involved (as the chief stunt producer - not in the off the hook! www.redbull.com/nl-nl/events/red-bull-megaloop-2018 love triangle) and we’ve also heard from Susi Mai that she’s got a Glamourous launch party tickets this way please! FLY OVER WATER INNOVATION EFFICIENCY DESIGN

levitaz.com I 048 / NEWS / SPY NETWORK I SPY NETWORK UK NEWS Guy Bridge will be hard to beat on home soil. But you can have a A SUMMER PACKED WITH EVENTS! go at the Edge Race Cup! Photo: Toby Bromwich

EDGE RACE CUP Coming into its eighth year, the Edge Race Cup will host the Hydrofoil British National Championships from 9 -10 June in Exmouth, Devon. Current British Champion and winner of the BKSA / PROGRESSION FOIL COACHING PROGRAM recent Hydrofoil Pro Tour event in La Ventana, Mexico, Olly The BKSA have joined forces with Progression’s Rob Claisse to develop a new foiling syllabus that will be delivered by Bridge will be racing along with his younger brother Guy as well BKSA coaches. Progression will also be launching a series of foil coaching clinics in the UK and in Europe this summer. as some of the top European riders. www.progression.me/live-coaching A great event for inspiration, it is also an event for all levels of racer and you don’t need to be riding race-specific gear as foil kites and inflatableswillcompeteinseparatedivisionswith BKC EVENTS NEW YOUTH BKSA everyone (men and women) taking to the water in a mixed fleet. The British Kitesurfing Championships (freestyle) has four There will be demo kit to try out as well as a £5,000 prize pot events lined up this season. The tour kicks off in Skegness in May SCHEME UNVEILED to compete for! Aiming to help more young people and will finish up at a brand new event in Ramsgate in August. Contact: [email protected] Categories for men and women will include pros, masters, get into kite sports, the scheme amateurs and junior boys and girls. has been written and developed Skegness: 18 - 19 May by Andy Gratwick and Jon Metcalfe PASTY’S ADVENTURE Hayling Island (Kitesurfing Armada): 22 – 24 June with help from Eric Bridge. It On the 4th March one of the most elusive wave riding spots near Westward Ho!: 14 - 15 July will be available through all AALA Marazion in Cornwall fired for the first time in three years. Ramsgate: 19 - 20 August registered BKSA Schools nationally. The spot sits on a finger of rock around one kilometre out to There’s also the BKSA Wavemasters to look forward to later in For more info contact: training@ sea and requires not only a sizeable long period swell, but the the year which, depending on conditions, will go down at one britishkitesports.org right swell angle and offshore wind. Due to the tide it can only of a number potential venues on either 15 / 16th or 29 / 30th ever work for an hour (if at all), so a lot of things have to line up September in either southwest England or Wales. to get a session there. If anyone was going to score it though, it www.britishkitesports.org KITE BRITAIN was Lee ‘Pasty’ Harvey! Kiteboarders and adventurers Stew Edge and Islay Symonette are “This was one of the best sessions I’ve ever had. I was pulling embarking on their Kite Britain Challenge in an attempt to become into barrels and getting spat out mere feet from the rocks and the first people ever to circumnavigate the entire British coastline CR:X BRITISH KITE right in front of a few die hard windsurfers who were struggling - all 3,000 miles of it - by kite. It’s a massive undertaking which as the wind was pretty light. I’m still buzzing! I just hope it’s not RACING SERIES will see them taking a clockwise route around the British mainland, another two years before it breaks again.” Newly launched, and using standardised foiling and twin-tip covering some extremely rugged stretches of coastline and no equipment (which you can borrow at the events), these events doubt navigating some rough seas along the way. www.pastyadventures.co.uk are fun, relaxed and a great way for riders to take their first Setting off from Hull in early May, they are aiming to raise Lee tucking in to something special! steps in both foiling and twin-tip racing. £100,000 for the Armada Trust and the Marine Conservation Photos: Debbie Kennedy Poole: 12 – 13 May Society. They’ll be followed by a customised support boat with Southend on Sea: 16 - 17 June its very own kite launching platform and we’ll be reporting on Hayling Island: 29 – 30 September their progress along the way! Daymer Bay: 20 – 21 October Find out more at: www.kitebritain.com www.facebook.com/kitebritain

I 050 / NEWS / SPY NETWORK I SPY NETWORK THE ARMADA AGAINST PLASTIC ENVIRONMENTAL The Kitesurfing Armada is the world’s biggest kiteboarding event and it attracts upwards of 5,000 people to Hayling Island on the UK’s south coast every summer. This year, event organiser NEWS Dan Charlish has set out to dramatically reduce the amount of plastic that gets used at the Armada. We caught up with him to see what’s changed. How’s the Armada setting out to tackle plastic this year? This year we’ll have reusable cups for all drinks, so there will be no single use plastic cups anywhere. We’ll have no plastic water bottles for sale on site and we’re looking at working with a producer who sells water in aluminium cans. There’ll be no plastic straws or cutlery anywhere and only recyclable packaging for all food served. We won’t use any plastic bags and we’ve implemented a system to recycle the wristbands we use to register everyone. On top of all that we’ve now partnered with Trio Sports who are going to be making our event rash vests out of 100% recycled plastic, which is awesome news! We’re also organising a beach clean with Surfers Against Sewage and Southern Water to ensure we leave the beach spotless! There’ll also be better recycling on site, designated smoking areas and we’re working with Natural England to protect bird species Sad times at Boracay from mismanagement nesting at the back of the beach. We’re also encouraging people alongside the pressures to accommodate the growth to save their tickets on their phones rather than printing them. of tourism at one of the world’s most beautiful spots Photo: Reef Retreat beach Additionally, we’re doing a schools afternoon on the Friday, with 300 kids coming down to learn about the environment, BORACAY BLOCKED sustainability, wind energy, plastic issues and to see some amazing kitesurfing too! The popular kite destination in the Philippines is now closed to (and was in Boracay until this happened), but he said, ‘You’ll Epic! What motivated you to take these steps? tourists and travelling kiters due to a decree from the Filipino hate me in the beginning, but you’ll love me in the end.’ Since There’s a growing focus on the issue of plastics in our oceans and, President, Rodrigo Duterte. This is in response to the high levels coming to power he initiated a crack down on the drugs trade clearlyaskiterswelovethesea,sothiseffectsusinahugeway.We of raw, untreated effluent which has been pumped into the and rebel groups while railing against the International Criminal all need to do our bit and we wanted to up our game at the Armada waters around Boracay - a situation that had been exacerbated Court after it accused him of crimes against humanity. Human by the rapid growth in tourism. Many structures have no way Rights Watch claim 12,000+ people have been killed by Filipino and work on every area where plastic is used across the festival. of treating the sewage they pump out and local businesses forces in the war on drugs since Duterte declared martial law Has it been challenging? had been calling out for better regulation. Duterte’s decision and he also flippantly claimed he wouldn’t punish his soldiers We didn’t know how big a challenge it would be at first, or to shut the island off entirely for the next six months to let forraping womenduringongoingconflicts withIslamist fighters truly understand the costs involved, but we’re committed to infrastructure work take place came as a shock to residents and on Mindanao. giving it a go! In short, it costs more on every single front to tourists with just a three week prior warning in April. It seems Duterte’s environmental concerns don’t perhaps be environmentally responsible. Every change we make has Although 30,000 people lost their jobs on the island, the align with his interest in human rights, and there is some cynical increased cost for us, which is challenging, but our view is you general opinion among those who remain there (if they haven’t speculation over whether this action is entirely for the benefit just have to commit to it, believe it’s the right thing to do and lost their business premises on the beach) is that Boracay will of the environment, or whether it will allow for the addition of a trust that in the end people will respect what you are doing and be better for this action, with new roads, the kitesurfing beach new Chinese casino... support it! will be wider and a new pipe will really clean up Bullabog beach. Either way, according to one resident kitesurfer that we This environmental stand is a rare one for Mr Duterte, but the spoke to, Boracay currently looks the most beautiful he’s seen The Kitesurfing Armada is also a charity fund raising event and authoritarian nature of it is not. He is popular in the Philippines it in ten years without the thousands of tourists on the beach. takes place 22 - 23 June 2018 at Hayling Island in the UK. Find out more at: www.armadaevents.co.uk/events/kitesurfingarmadauk DPRS SCHEME INTRODUCED IN ENGLAND In late March, the government committed to introducing a deposit return scheme on drinks containers in England. In the wake of campaigns spearheaded by Surfers Against Sewage, it’s a huge victory in the bid to end plastic pollution, reduce littering and create a more sustainable, circular economy in which waste is reduced to an absolute minimum. Similar schemes are already in operation around Europe. Germany recycles 99% of their plastic bottles compared to only 43% in the UK, where a staggering 700,000 are littered everyday. Since the plastic bag charge was implemented, nine billion plastic bags have been taken out of circulation as a result. Let’s hope the deposit incentive yields similar savings! Keepers for sure! FREESTYLE - 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15 & 17m I 052 / SESSIONS / JAWS I

SESSIONS: OLIVIA AND GISELA CHARGE JAWS OLIVIA JENKINS MADE A STUNNING DEBUT ON THE GKA KSWT TOUR EVENT IN DAKHLA IN APRIL. IT WAS HER FIRST EVER KITESURFING COMPETITION BUT SHE STILL MANAGED TO BEAT SOME VERY EXPERIENCED COMPETITORS AND FINISHED JUST OFF THE PODIUM. NOT LONG BEFORE THAT SHE BECAME ONE OF ONLY THREE WOMEN TO EVER KITE AT JAWS ALONGSIDE GISELA PULIDO ON A CLASSIC BIG DAY. SHE TOLD KW’S MATT PEARCE HOW IT WENT DOWN When did you first decide you wanted to ride Jaws? We’d brought out a couple of kites and pumped them up I’ve been watching surfers out at Jaws for the past few years on the jet-ski but I really didn’t know what was coming as it’s and have been getting increasingly interested in riding bigger not like other big waves I’ve ridden. On most waves you can waves. My boyfriend, Patri McLaughlin, is really into it, so over watch them building and follow them in, but at Jaws the swell the years that’s become what we search for in trips - to find hits the shallow water and a wave jacks up out of nowhere big waves. and suddenly there’s this big wave that you’re on and gaining I first went out to Jaws about a year ago and I was kind speed rapidly. It was a pretty unreal experience to have this of thinking about kiting, but I wasn’t really prepared and the massive wall of water come out of nowhere and just work out conditions didn’t really line up. We tried again recently and what to do there and then. the conditions were there so we decided to go for it! How do you prepare for it and what’s next? Talk us through the day itself. I definitely should go to the gym a lot more than I do, but in When the day started out we didn’t really know how it would Hawaii we just kite a lot every single day that we can as there’s be out there and I didn’t really know what to expect. We didn’t waves and wind most days. I’m trying to spend a little bit more go to the cliff first to watch (like a lot of people do) and we time in the gym. though. If I do get in those situations where just went straight out to Jaws on the jet-ski and waited for I’m falling at Jaws, I want to be fit and able to handle it, so I some walls to come through. think my next goal is to just become more prepared for that possibility now I have some experience and a taste for it. I 053 I

“ON MOST WAVES YOU CAN WATCH THEM BUILDING AND FOLLOW THEM IN, BUT AT JAWS THE SWELL HITS THE SHALLOW WATER AND A WAVE JACKS UP OUT OF NOWHERE AND SUDDENLY THERE’S THIS BIG WAVE THAT YOU’RE ON AND GAINING SPEED RAPIDLY.”

OJ getting a taste for big wave juice Photos: Rick Dobrowski I 054 / COLUMN / MARK MY WORDS I “FOILING HAS THE GOLDEN FORMULA; IT MAKES THE MOST OF POOR CONDITIONS”

Sing when you’re winning. Mark is a frequent flier Photos: Robert Hajduk / Shuttersail

MARK MY WORDS For differing desires of lift and speed 70 COLUMNS LATER AND MARK SHINN IS STILL OBSESSED WITH KITING! HYDROFOILING IS KEEPING IT FRESH FOR HIM AND HERE HE PRESENTS A MINI BEGINNER’S GEAR GUIDE FOR THOSE WHO ARE HOPING TO START FLYING THIS SEASON

s the Northern Hemisphere spring kicks into gear it’s WING SIZE AND SHAPE: The wing is probably the most critical THE STABILISER: Contra to most people’s idea the Stabiliser is just about the time when I feel I should write something part of the foil, but as with all things in life, it represents not a wing in the traditional sense at all; it’s there to act like a Amotivational and encourage people back onto the water. something of a compromise. The general rule of thumb is crutch and make your foil easier to balance on. You could go foiling I’m particularly enthused for kiting this year and feel well that larger wings give more lift and smaller wings are faster. with just the main wing, but you’ll need advanced balancing skills. positioned to share some stoke! No number can be taken in isolation to try to predict the In general the larger the wing the larger the stabiliser you will need Unseasonably warm weather in southern Poland (my performance of a wing, but if you need to look somewhere, then to balance it. If your foil of choice has multiple stabiliser angles current domicile of choice) has led to warm waters and plenty surface area is as good a place as any. to choose from then remember that negative angle makes a foil of kite sessions already and, somewhat unsurprisingly, my Race wings are normally in the region of 500cm2 and more stable (negative angle meaning that the front edge of the weapon of choice is almost always the hydrofoil. Foils have downwind SUP foils can be up to 1,600 cm2, or even bigger. It all stabliser is lower than the back edge of the stabiliser - so it slopes been around for a few years now, but turning the focus away comes down to lift and speed. Larger wings lift at slower speeds forwards). If it looks like your stabiliser is upside down don’t worry, from race oriented foils to freeride foils is still in its early but have a limited top end. Small, high-aspect wings don’t lift many foils are designed to work with an inverted stabiliser! transition. There’s still clear progress to be made but the well at low speeds but have a vastly greater top end. While a pro- THICK OR THIN BOARDS? Opinions are split on this and there doors are opening the foiling possibility for riders of all level rider can get a race foil going in almost no wind at all, the are arguments for each side. Thin boards are generally a lot more ability levels. To put it in the words of one kite school owner, rest of us will struggle. So if you’re looking for a wing for light durable, more cost-effective and are easier to handle and get “The latest generation of foils for learning is letting riders winds then don’t be afraid to get a decent sized one! into waterstart position in the water. Higher volume boards may fly safely and easily when their ability level would suggest MAST LENGTH: This is one of the most talked about aspects for (but I am not convinced personally) give a slight advantage in that in previous years they really shouldn’t have been trying learning and also one of the most misunderstood. Short masts super light winds and are generally lighter and stiffer, but they’re it at all.”. don’t make foiling easier, in fact they make it harder BUT they make also significantly more expensive and fragile. I don’t think there Foiling has recently come to the attention of a wider audience the touchdowns survivable and save you having so many crashes. is a compelling argument to say one is better than the other, so with surf and SUP foiling gaining exposure and popularity in If your foil breaches (the wing comes up out the water) you lose lift choose your tool and ride it! If you want to ride it with straps equal measures. Why the popularity you may ask? Well, foiling and because your front foot is so far in front of the mast you don’t then do so, if you want to ride it strapless then do it. There are no has the golden formula; it makes the most of poor conditions. slowly sink to the surface, instead you nose dive quite perilously. rules, it’s supposed to be fun. Waves you couldn’t normally surf, kiting sessions that would With a short mast there’s less far for the board to dive and thus ALUMINIUM OR CARBON? That’s an easy one – carbon will be normally see you skunked, SUPing on a day that would normally more chance to survive a touchdown. If you have an easy beginner stiffer, more expensive and more fragile. Aluminium is cheaper and be too windy and blown out; they all become fun. The world is full wing there is little reason to go shorter than a 60 centimetre mast, more durable but can be susceptible to flexing if not well designed. of sub-par conditions and anything that allows you to enjoy them but if you are going to try to learn on a small wing (or in very shallow If you’re tough on your gear go for metal, if you treat it like a lady is sure to be popular. water) then 40 centimetres makes more sense as an option. and you can afford it then carbon foils are things of beauty. As a foil designer and extremely vocal evangelist for the So why does anyone ride 90 or 110 centimetre masts? Well, it’s ALL SOUNDS A LITTLE COMPLICATED? It’s not really and I sport, I’m often asked what are the critical points to consider quite simple: it puts the foil deeper in the water and means there’s know of a few riders that started to foil and are not completely when choosing a foil and what are realistic expectations less chance of breaching in the first place. Short mast = easy to captivated by it. Meanwhile, I’m bordering on obsessed! Maybe regarding its performance? So let’s take a minute to go through breach but easy to survive the touchdown. Long mast = harder to next month we’ll talk a little about kite and board set-up (that some basic factors. breach but very hard to avoid swimming after touchdown. is if I am allowed to keep talking about foils this much!)?. KW

RIDER: JEREMIE TRONET / PHOTO: ZOE SCHAFFER-JENNETT THE NEW MONO NEW THE SIMPLICITY INTO OFOUT COMPLEXITY /FOIL FREERIDE WWW.NORTHKITEBOARDING.COM NORTH KITEBOARDING -TRUEKITEBOARDING RELATED PRODUCTS

SIZES: 3.5 / 5 / 7 / 9 / 12 / 15 X-RIDE FREE FOIL WAM I 058 / FEATURE / HAPPINESS I

THE NEURAL ADAPTATION PROJECT AKA: GETTING THE FOILING BOILING! PART ONE: CROSSING OVER OCCASIONAL KITEWORLD COLUMNIST, NEUROSCIENTIST AND AVID KITER, DR. JASON GALLATE IS BACK! OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF ISSUES HE REPORTS ON HIS EXPERIMENT TO FIND OUT WHETHER EXERCISING IN THE OCEAN EVERY SINGLE DAY WOULD GUARANTEE HAPPINESS. FIRST, HE HAD TO FIND SOME SUITABLE TOYS FOR THE CONDITIONS HE FACED... ALL PHOTOS: FRANKIE BEES / NAISH

“EVERY POSSESSION AND EVERY oor old Artie, he wasn’t the cheeriest of philosophers. HAPPINESS IS BUT LENT BY CHANCE Nonetheless, he did seem to be onto something: in my day FOR AN UNCERTAIN TIME, AND MAY Pjob I’m a psychologist and I see a lot of people who are THEREFORE BE DEMANDED BACK THE extraordinarily sad. People whom, on the surface, take great NEXT HOUR”. - ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER pains to appear happy. It’s a privilege to be let into their private worlds, but far too often they are bleak and lonely. Unfortunately, there is some currency to Schopenhauer’s quote… In response, I consider it a professional responsibility to be happy. Taking the time to design happiness into my life has made a big difference, but the process appears to be paradoxical – in that it is both simple and extremely difficult. The psychiatrist Gordon Livingstone said, “It is hard for a human to be unhappy if they have someone to love, something The medication: Thrust Surf foil wing set-up from Naish to do and something to look forward to”. This doesn’t seem like such a tall order, yet time and again my patients fail at at least one of the three. I 059 I

“THE PSYCHIATRIST GORDON LIVINGSTONE SAID, “IT IS HARD FOR A HUMAN TO BE UNHAPPY IF THEY HAVE SOMEONE TO LOVE, SOMETHING TO DO AND SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO”. THIS DOESN’T SEEM LIKE SUCH A TALL ORDER, YET TIME AND AGAIN MY PATIENTS FAIL AT AT LEAST ONE OF THE THREE.”

Jesse Richman on the Naish Hover 112 and Thrust KS foil

I believe that kiters are extraordinarily lucky people precisely depression. It does not solve these problems but I have environments well into our seventies. because they should have number three nailed; something to never had a depressed patient say that they regretted The benefits of neurogenesis and neuroplasticity are look forward to. Right now I am looking forward to the next 20 going for a hard run. Even better, to avoid the monotony and obvious. The thing that struck me like Connor McGregor was knot nor’easter to come funnelling down the coast, creating stress fracture of pounding the pavement, is to combine the importance of novelty, exploration and new environments cross-off conditions on my favourite point to reef-break – cardiovascular stimulation with something you look forward – basically, physical learning. Pushing the brain hard keeps it (internet says Tuesday). to. My unequivocal happiness prescription is, therefore, a daily firing and rewiring. Has kitesurfing then taken care of number three? Well, dose in the ocean. I have a lot of precious physical memories. I still remember kind of, but not exactly. I don’t live on Maui and there is a This prescription is sound – get in the ocean everyday gliding down the first unbroken wave I ever caught on a wind drought after Tuesday extending into what looks like and make sure you appreciate it. But, I recently read two bodyboard. I clearly remember how mentally taxing my first next year. (Damnit, Schopenhauer looks to be right after neuroscience articles that made me wonder whether I could session of kiting in proper surf was. I will never forget the first all... Pull yourself together, man! There has got to be a design squeeze even more out of daily sessions. The articles ‘Human time I glided through powder snow with my kite blotting out solution to this. What about a giant solar powered fan on Hippocampal Neurogenesis Persists throughout Aging’ and the sunset over the Southern Alps. All of these experiences the headland?) ‘Novelty Exploration Elicits a Reversal of Acute Stress-induced share common features; they required application and … back to the happiness argument: design is really Modulation of Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity in the Rat’, concentration, they were novel, they are forever etched on my important - daily, hard exercise, appears to be universally suggest that we continue to develop new cells in an area of mind (learning) and they powerfully motivated me to repeat helpful to mental health; especially stress, anxiety and the brain responsible for new memories and exploration of new the activity. I 060 / FEATURE / HAPPINESS I I pondered these reminiscences and the penny finally Once again, I thought I had point three permannently solved – dropped. If I did/learnt multiple activities in the ocean I would wave kiting. But, just as I grabbed my new solution tight around not only get mood and physical fitness benefits, but my brain the neck a new bubble squeezed out between my fingers-when would be fresh and frothing - primed for life. The bonus value- I took an honest look at how many days I got on the ocean, add of the variety would be that I’ll be highly motivated and keep they were far too few. Conditions, time, luck andd complacency doing the exercise. conspired against me. As a teenager I used to look forward to surfing every single It’s the same old primary problem most of us face - not day. Surfing was great in this regard - simple, convenient, easy – enough wind and not enough swell. However, instead of leaving one piece of equipment and a pair of boardshorts - bliss. It could things to chance and the vicissitude of the weatther, this time beonshoreslopandIwouldstillbepaddlingaroundlikeabeaver I decided to consciously take responsibility and sttart designing with obsessive compulsive disorder. happiness into my life. All I needed to do was turn myself back Sadly, those days are gone and life is more complicated. It into a frothing grommet, then I would want to get in the ocean now takes very rare conditions to get me excited about a surf everyday. How do I do that when there is no winnd and I don’t – which is part of the reason that I started kitesurfing. Kiting in have a time machine? I was onto the idea that variety was super waves still amazes me, every single time… important, but I still needed a solution: Further medication: the Thrust KS1 for kiting ENTER THE FOIL... I BOUGHT A FOIL BECAUSE “I WISHED TO LIVE DELIBERATELY, TO FRONT ONLY THE ESSENTIAL FACTS OF LIFE, AND SEE IF I COULD NOT LEARN WHAT IT HAD TO TEACH, AND NOT, WHEN I CAME TO DIE, DISCOVER THAT I HAD NOT LIVED”. – HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Iaccidentallyfellintothefoilingfascination.Oneofmyfriendsis I,likeeveryoneelse,wasbefuddledbythis. akookyinventor,heglassedupacarbonfibrefoilinhisworkshop Was it fake? Could a normal human do it? and we cobbled it to bits and pieces of aluminium he found in It wasn’t long before I had an itch to scratch. I, like you, like scrap yards. We started towing behind his 15 horse power every kiter, am a gear freak. I have found just owwning a foil to inflatable boat. On our very first attempt we had this massively be a semi-religious experience and I’m not ashameed to admit it. longmastandeverytimewegotupwewouldalreadybetracking ItookaleafoutofThoreau’sbookandboughttwwofoils:aNaish violently to the left or right and we couldn’t turn back towards ThrustLargeSurfFoilandThrustKS1KitesurfingFoil.Ialsogottwo the wake. Nonetheless we felt the foil rise out of the water and boards,aNaish6’0’’HoversurfboardandaHover1200CrossoverSUP glide. We felt the potential and were hooked. We ban-sawed the foil board. I wanted to have every condition coveredd. Idetermined mast down to 50cm and suddenly we were silently gliding our to live deliberately; determined to embark on a‘happiness way down the Hawkesbury river. programme’ religiously. One where I got in the ocean every singleil After this Kai Lenny basically broke the internet when he day. I wanted not only to have something to look forward to, but to was gliding for hundreds of metres on wind chop on a Naish foil. be stoked about my next session. No wind, no problem! TABLE OF LOST OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE PROMISE The problem, as it existed in the past, could be broken down into two vectors: ‘Wind velocity’ and ‘Swell’. Usually there wasn’t enough of either for my ideal liking. To wit: THE TABLE OF LOST OPPORTUNITIES AND REGRET AKA: ‘THE PAST’ Low to no surf Medium surf Big surf

High wind Kite with twin tip Kite in waves – yeah! Kite in waves – risky rewards...

Medium wind Internet Netflix Beer

Little to no wind Tinder Work… Surf with short board – glassy barrels

I can’t do anything to change the weather, BUT I can change my own behaviour to adapt to it. “ALL I NEEDED TO DO WAS TURN MYSELF SOLUTION: THE TABLE OF COMPLETE FUTURE PROMISE BACK INTO A FROTHING GROMMET, THEN Low to no surf Medium surf Big surf I WOULD WANT TO GET IN THE OCEAN EVERYDAY. HOW DO I DO THAT WHEN High wind Kite with twin tip or windsurf? Kite in waves – yeah! Kite in waves – risky rewards... THERE IS NO WIND AND I DON’T HAVE A TIME MACHINE? I WAS ONTO THE IDEA Medium wind Kite foil Don’t know, SUP foil, kite foil SUP or kite foil downwinder THAT VARIETY WAS SUPER IMPORTANT, BUT I STILL NEEDED A SOLUTION.” Little to no wind Paddle in prone foil SUP/SUP foil Surf with short board 00 61

Annie Reickert is statistically significant – she’s in the water everyday and ‘pretty darn happy’! Riding at 1,000 Peaks, Maui Photo: Bernd Roediger

ooottt lll ss

No wind? Hit the waves in small surf! I 062 / FEATURE / HAPPINESS I

Foil toy take-over. Robby Naish and Kevin Langeree in light airs on Maui, clocking the sessions I 063 I

“THE THING THAT STRUCK ME LIKE CONNOR MCGREGOR WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF NOVELTY, EXPLORATION, AND NEW ENVIRONMENTS – BASICALLY, PHYSICAL LEARNING. PUSHING THE BRAIN HARD KEEPS IT FIRING AND REWIRING.” If you miss your daily dose, go at night! Somehow Jesse always gets his fix

GLIDING FORWARD remember things and mentally speedy – (these ratings were • Finally, I have not yet attained, but am extremely excited Having a professionally manufactured foil in my paws was pretty even more subjective). about, kite foiling in waves! JB, the Naish rider who got me up cool. The immediate difference was that every joint was smooth. To put this in more realistic terms, I wanted to recapture the and going, assures me this is amazing. Once again, you have The wing fitted into the fuselage and the fuselage fitted the joy I had as a kid by playing with a whole lot of new equipment in to relearn to fly the kite because the board is so frictionless mast without any right-angles or recesses for drag. I had to get theoceaneveryday.Iwillsupplymoredetailedresultsinthenext you approach it too quickly. it into the water and I couldn’t wait for wind. article, (and also a better justification for how the neuroscience More to come on all of this in the next episode… I now had everything in place: multiple sports, on twin-tips, might work) but here are a few preliminary findings: surfboards and SUPs with and without foils attached. If the • Firstly, and most importantly - Foils are fun. (In an amazing GLOSSARY OF TERMS: wind was up I would kite, if it was moderate I would foil and if array of applications, with or without wind power. That is NEUROGENESIS - The creation of new brain cells. Scientists it was non-existent I still had options. I would be exercising in until you land on one, which is best avoided). believed until very recently (for over 50 years) that once a human the ocean every day and I would be challenging my brain with • The glide you get when you are up on the foil really does brain cell died it could never be regrown, replaced or repaired. This learning multiple new things as well. feel like flying – somewhat like floating on a snowboard in has been shown to be untrue - neurogenesis is very good news. In the end I decided not to just do this project, but to unimaginably light powder. Which is weird because you are NEUROPLASTICITY - Is sort of, basically, the ability of your brain document it: I decided to run a pseudo experiment on it and standing on top of one wing whilst another pulls you through to adapt, to change, to specialise, to repair, to compensate for write an article for this mag. From this idea a project was born: the sky. damage. Learning must be the result of neuroplasticity. The • Kite foiling was much harder than I expected, whereas prone cool thing is we can now sometimes show how this learning has THE NEURAL ADAPTATION PROJECT: paddle-in foil surfing was much easier. I watched Kai Lenny physically happened in the brain - different parts of the brain Running a real neuro-scientific experiment is an utter nightmare all over the internet paddling into little bumps and presumed ‘wire up’ - neurons make new connections with one another. of boredom. It takes many, many subjects to make statistical it impossible for anyone over 60 kilos. To my surprise I was Eg. it is the reason why you now no longer have to consciously significance and controlled conditions that are rigourous up on the foil in small waves, (and completely out of control), think about how to drive when you are driving. and endlessly finicky. I only had one subject; myself, but pretty quickly. I had a modicum of control shortly thereafter. HIPPOCAMPAL - Means ‘of the hippocampus’. The hippocampus nonetheless I wanted to ask the question: Will exercising in • I thought this would transfer immediately when under kite is a small area of your brain that is really important for memory, the ocean everyday improve my mood, my general outlook, my power. Not so! Not for me at least. I don’t have flat water and but it also does spatial navigation and regulates emotion physical health and the vitality and suppleness of my brain. Will I cross-winds nearby, so I re-experienced that nearly forgotten (everything is interconnected and complicated, but this recapture my stoke? Will my brain be fizzing? feeling of the board being knocked off my feet, turning fins definition works for now!). I decided to rate my mood everyday (as often as I first, sucking in water, getting pulled over the foilboard with remembered) but especially before I entered the water and a big kite because the turning arc was too long and being Jason is a neuroscience lecturer at the University of Sydney. after I got out. In terms of the neuroscience I also wanted unable to get up on the foil on a small kite. As a result the Read more of his features online now at www.kiteworldmag.com to see if I felt sharper, more creative at work, better able to gliding became all the more precious when it came. by searching ‘Jason Gallate’ KW

I 066 / ADVENTURE / GREENLAND I INTO TWIN GALAXIES

arah McNair-Landry, an explorer whose adventures we’ve featured in the Smagazine before, had a new goal: to combine her ice cap and kite-skiing experience with Ben Stookesberry and Erik Boomer’s extreme kayaking experience – to create the most epic expedition ever! In August 2017 Ben, Boomer and Sarah unloaded their winter camping, kite- skiing and kayaking gear out of the small boat they had hired to drop them of on the east coast of Greenland. Ahead of them – a 1,000 kilometre journey they had dreamed up; combining kite-skiing and extreme kayaking. The irst challenge was to haul their heavy loads, including 50 days of food, up onto the Greenland ice cap – through a maze of crevasses – before reaching an area safe to kite-ski. From there the team used the winds, hauling their sleds and kayaks to reach the source of a remote river in western Greenland. Once at the river they packed up their kites and skis and completed a irst descent of the river they named Twin Galaxies – down to the Arctic Ocean.

Sarah McNair-Landry: Growing up in the Canadian Arctic has led Sarah to a life of polar expeditions. Among others she is the youngest to both poles, (her first was at 18), has kite-skied the northwest passage and recently ays dog-sled Baffin Islan ean the firs as to hike t uttles, uphill and across loose rock and o the edge . They were light: with 50 days of food and fuel, ping gear, cr e equipmen gear, kayaks, paddles and accessories

Ben Stookesberry: With 120 first descents in 32 countries and counting, Ben has spent the last 17 years of his life floating between the continents in search of the ultimate river III I

t il s c s e u ngt themhem w t f o br befo s e wwer

August is not a good time to cross the Greenland ice cap, but the team wanted to be at the river by early September – which meant they had no choice but to cross in summer. To get up onto the ice cap to good kite-skiing terrain, the team first had to haul their Erik Boomer: A legendary extreme white-water kayaker, Erik has sled and kayak loaded with supplies through a maze of crevasses turned his focus to the north. He paddled and pulled a kayak more than 2,000 miles around Elsmere Island and travelled four months by dog sled around Baffin Island I 068 / ADVENTURE / GREENLAND I

Ben takes a second to catch his breath during a long day of kite- skiing. To make up lost time at the beginning the team had to kite long days – often 12 hours or more

The team on the east coast of Greenland at the start of their Greenland crossing. From left to right: Ben, Erik and Sarah

Ben hauls his kayak across a deep crevasse. It took the team over a week of carefully navigating through and around the deep cracks in the ice, climbing up to 5,000 feet, before reaching a safe area to kite-ski IIII

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After a week slogging their heavy loads up the ice cap there was no better feeling than harnessing up to a kite and finally being able to catch up on lost miles. Here Sarah flies her six metre Ozone Access in stormy conditions A D N L N

As the team descended and started to encounter crevasses, they rolled up their kites for the final time. One of the reasons the team chose to paddle the river they call Twin Galaxies, was because the river starts up on the glacier, carving a canyon through the ice. Ben and Boomer used Google Earth to find and scout the ice canyon, however when the team got to the ice river in early September, they found that the river was already covered in a thin layer of ice

The ice canyon was like no other canyon the team had experienced, they were in total awe of its beauty and unique nature. Once in the deep ice canyon, unsure if they could climb back out, the team was committed to make it off the ice cap onto dry land. So with an early 2am start, they didn’t stop till 9pm I 071 I IIN A

Greenland is known for its Katabatic winds and strong storms. While kite-skiing, the winds quickly increased on day eight and to land her kite safely Sarah pulled her safety release. Instead of depowering the kite, the release snagged, fully powering the kite, launching Sarah into the air before she landed on her head. She didn’t realize at that moment – but she had broken her T8 vertebrae

Sarah, wearing her dry suit, crampons and life jacket, breaks through thin ice into the cold water below. The thin ice on the river prevented the team from paddling through the ice canyon. Yet it was not quite strong enough to always hold their weight – and they often broke through the ice into knee-to-chest-deep frigid water

To maximize their wind range, the team each brought three kites; their smallest six metre storm kites and their largest kites, which were 18 metres and on long 60 metre lines I 072 / ADVENTURE / GREENLAND I

IN G A E

The team hauled their kayaks 1,000 kilometres to access a remote river that had never been paddled. “We had no idea what was down stream”, says Sarah. But the river was exactly what they had imagined. The Granite bedrock had been polished clean by the glacier to create a perfect riverbed for runnable slides and waterfalls

The ice river was mostly frozen with a thin layer of ice. Unable to paddle it, the river still provided the easiest path off the ice cap, though it wasn’t without dangers: thin ice, cold water and snow bridges to pass under all had to be negotiated I 073 I

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The team portages around an impossible river canyon that couldn’t kayaked. There is only so much gear the team could pack into their kayaks – so they would hike down stream with a load of skis, sleds and bulky winter gear while scouting the river, before heading back up to their boats to paddle

Nearing the end of September the temperatures dropped well below freezing and snow covered the ground. The team pulled into their final camp – on the shores of the Arctic Ocean after completing a crossing of Greenland and a first descent of the river Twin Galaxies, in 46 days. Ice covered their gear. It took Boomer 15 minutes just to get his frozen life jacket off ANYTHING YOU WANT.

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THE ALTERNATIVE AFRICAN

EXPERIENCEVibrations from a visit to Kenya WORDS AND CAPTIONS: James Boulding PHOTOS: James Boulding and Manuela Jungo

Inland from Diani is magical countryside. Views out over the plains are a perfect way to enjoy an evening and be on the look out for elephants way down I 077 I

“THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF EMPTY SPOTS PERFECT FOR KITING. MOST ARE STILLL WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED.”

Situated on the equator you don’t need to worry about what thickness wetsuit you need to bring, just make sure you have plenty of suncream!

ind my eyes slowly opening from a me through the transfer to Diani Beach, a counterpart, South Africa, but ater spending deep slumber. There’s a strange rattling 90 minute journey and ferry crossing from a month in this kitesuring paradise, I’ll be Ion the roof as something makes its way the airport. Even at 3am there was still lots of astonished if this isn’t the next top African across. Looking out the window it feels like movement in the streets of Mombassa. Ater winter destination. we are deep in a jungle. The sound of birds the irst 30 minutes of city the countryside The most famous area for kiting in Kenya is and monkeys ill my senses with new sights engulfs you. For the size of the country Kenya Diani Beach. A vast long beach of white sand and sounds. I’ve travelled to many diferent has a relatively small coastline but it is still by no that almost looks like snow during the middle countries for kitesuring over the last 15 years, means small and there are hundreds of empty of the day and stretches on for 25 kilometres. but this morning we ind ourselves waking up spots, perfect for kiting. Most are still waiting to Tourism is the main trade as the warm winter to a completely new experience. be discovered. When it comes to kitesuring temperatures make it a haven for Europeans Arriving into Mombassa late the previous popularity, for various reasons Kenya doesn’t to escape the winter cold. When the sun night my autopilot had kicked in and cruised quite have the same reputation as its African shines the trade winds blow almost daily, so I 078 / TRAVEL / KENYA I you can expect a lot of kiting during the peak Looking on a map, the close proximity to monkey in Diani but I quickly fell in love with windy seasons. Somalia conjures up images of kiting with the Colobus monkeys. Beautiful black fur with I was travelling with my partner Manuela Somali pirates, but in reality the distances a white wisp, they’re herbivores and generally Jungo and we linked up with an old friend between problem areas and the places stay in the trees to eat leaves and vegetation. called Jamie who I’d worked with ten years you’ll ind yourself in Kenya are vast. Other There is a lovely feeling of harmony with the ago when I started kitesuring full time. We than generally taking care when you travel wildlife and even without going on safari you had worked in Egypt as kite instructors and anywhere, you don’t need to really worry feel interconnected with nature, more than enjoyed a country perfect for kitesuring about piracy threat. Travel advisory warnings anywhere we’ve experienced. before seeing its reputation destroyed in from the UK and other European cities were Along such a large area of beach the potential the world’s media through terrorism and in lited a few years ago, so conidence has risen, area for kiting is vast. We situated ourselves at ighting. I’d always lown the lag for Egypt being especially in places like Diani where tourism Quest Kiteboarding, a professional kite school a safe place to visit, forever feeling the beach is the key contributor to the economy. In my which bases out of Diani Sea Lodge. The sand as a long way from the bazaar’s in Cairo, but experience the closest you will come to thet or is the brightest white colour and there’s a constant negative press seems to have made robbery will likely be in the form of your food to healthy space to kite inside the reef, located it a tricky place to visit. I didn’t think twice the local monkeys. about a kilometre out to sea. Sandbars ofer about safety in Kenya but, like a lot of African Diani is a haven for wildlife, which you lat water riding on low tides and the waves on countries, it carries with it a history that has are immersed in as you arrive. Baboons and the reef ofer fun wave riding and good let foot made European governments nervous about monkeys share the roads with humans and kickers. Some care should be taken when you promoting it as a good travel destination for above you ladders allow the monkeys to cross choose your location as there are some local their citizens, so security, especially in tourist the main road without risk of being killed by kite schools that run without insurance and hotspots, is always on show. vehicles. There are many diferent species of where local storage might not have any form of

Around midday the sun makes the water glow a phosphorescent colour due to the white sand beach. Polarised sunnies are the best way to make the most of this place! I 079 I

Tsavo National Park. With no light pollution deep in the game reserves, starry skies are a sight for sore eyes Starting the downwinder from Tiwi river mouth, from here you can go as far downwind as you choose

“ONE OF THE BEST TRADITIONS FOR ME, THAT STILL IS HELD IN ALL OF THE HOTELS IN KENYA IT SEEMS, IS TEA TIME, AROUND 4PM EVERY DAY. THE LOCAL MONKEYS OF COURSE KNOW THIS TOO, SO BE PREPARED AS THEY LOVE CAKE AND BISCUITS JUST AS MUCH AS THE BRITISH.” Watch out for these cheeky little monkeys. They are expert robbers and know every trick in the book to get a tasty bite I 080 / TRAVEL / KENYA I

KENYA’S CALLING: There’s huge diversity along Kenya’s 500 kilometres of coastal beaches, divided into the north and south coast, including a multitude of small islands and archipelagos as well as river deltas and prehistoric sand dunes. There are hidden sand bars and lat-water spots, mangrove forests and water ways, reef with little kickers that line up just right and even big, heavy swells with some down-the-line riding in the right season. There are two main wind seasons, the Kuzi (southerly, April to September) and Kaskazi (north- easterly, December to March). The Kaskazi main summer trade wind ills in from early December and will generally average 18 – 22 knots daily as a cross or cross-onshore wind from the let. During the Kuzi season the winds are stronger and the swells are bigger. The summer season produces less swell out on the fringing reef that follows the contours of the coastline, and so is usually the time when instructors take irst-time wave riders out to gain steady experience. The kickers on the reef also tend to be smaller and a bit messier during this time, however on a good day you can expect to ind clean rolling swell that can sometimes push overhead past the reef. The water temperature at this time is warm, ranging upwards from 32°C, so certainly no wetsuit is required, however make sure you lather up with sunscreen and wear a rash vest for extra protection. Freestyle fun at Funzi. Manu certainly enjoyed swapping the thick 5/3 wetsuits for a one piece swimsuit on this trip

The view out from Quest Kiteboarding Kite School at Diani Sea Lodge. Surely not a bad office view

guard on duty through the night. Kenya is still a having to worry about going back upwind. a Sunday aternoon and he couldn’t wait to third world location and you should be diligent Starting at Tiwi at the northern end of Diani tell me Liverpool had beaten Manchester when it comes to your belongings. you rig up kites at the Kongo mosque, where City. There are close links with the British The thermal wind picks up during the ancient Boabab trees surround the road to the having been under their control until Kenya’s day and then drops down into sunset. It’s like beach. These trees grow to enormous sizes in independence in 1963. One of the best clockwork most days, so you can plan your diameter and can live to 3,000 years. There is traditions for me, that is still held in all of the sessions with the tides or other activities. a magical feeling to the area and the ancient hotels in Kenya it seems, is tea time, around With most hotels ofering all-inclusive deals trees make you feel humble and insigniicant 4pm every day. The local monkeys of course the majority of guests rarely leave, other than as you start out on your journey south. With so know this too, so be prepared as they love cake to wander the stunning coastline. However much coastline, how far you choose to go is up and biscuits just as much as the British. without escaping the hotel grounds you miss to you, but generally it is nice to get a lit up to As the winds die down into the evening out on the fantastic life, sights and sounds of Tiwi and then inish back at your kite spot. the place becomes foil heaven. The waters this amazing country. Arriving back at Quest we were greeted become calm and the beautiful water inside With such a vast playing ield to kite, with icy cold refreshment towels and a cold the reef is an epic playground. The small days downwinders are a great way to enjoy the beer by Ali, one of the local beach boys, who are when conditions are at their best. The coastline and waves on the reef without was grinning from ear to ear as usual. It was deep blue water drops straight of outside I 081 I

“AS THE WINDS DIE DOWN INTO THE EVENING THE PLACE BECOMES FOILL HEAVEN. THE WATERS BECOME CALM AND THE BEAUTIFUL WATER INSIDE THE REEF IS AN EPIC PLAYGROUND.”

Inside and outside the reef is a foil paradise, just make sure there is enough water inside the lagoon so you’re not hitting the bottom. Small waves outside the reef offer an immense amount of fun on a foil, too I 082 / TRAVEL / KENYA I

Diani Beach is a breathtaking sight from the sky. The white sand stretches as far as the eye can see. During a very low tide you can see the bottom clearly - as if there was no water

“SECRET SPOTS ARE A DIME A DOZEN AND IT’S NOT UNCOMMON TO MEET LOCAL KITERS WHO WILL GIVE UP THE LOCATION OF THEIR FAVOURITE JAUNTS.”

Funzi island is an incredible kite spot to check out. After a 30 minute drive south from Diani you’ll take a boat trip through beautiful mangrove before arriving at the sand bar. As the tide drops the butter flat water becomes freestyle heaven I 083 I OFF THE WATER: Away from the ocean and the savanna, Kenya has the Great Rit Valley and all its lakes, including Lake Turkana which holds signiicant archaeological value given the early human remains discovered there. Mounts Kenya and Kilimanjaro both ofer dramatic climbing and a history of human accomplishment and personal victory. Over the past three decades of course, Kenya has gained notoriety as the world’s leading safari destination. In recent years, Diani Beach was awarded Africa’s Leading Beach Destination by the International Travel Awards and has managed to retain this title until present day. Nairobi has fast become the hub of sub-Saharan east Africa and is a cosmopolitan city ofering bright lights and a great deal of investment opportunity in commerce and land development. Travelling around Kenya is generally very safe and poses no speciic complications with regards to single travellers or women on their own. There are a network of buses operating between all the major cities as well as the newly installed train which alternates between Nairobi and Mombasa and takes roughly six hours. For local transport, tuk-tuks operate on the side of the road and will happily take you around for a small fee. Generally Kenya is an extremely warm and welcoming country, with slogans to match its attitude towards welcoming foreigners and tourists. Expect to hear ‘Hakuna Matata’ or ‘no worries’, ‘Karibu Kenya’ or ‘Welcome to Kenya’ as well as ‘Pole Pole’, which generally refers to taking your time without a rush.

Thanks to Quest Kiteboarding for their input: www.questkiteboarding.com

the reef and you can take waves all the way all they are interested in doing is cruising and in this world enables you to leave any stress through and ride the reforming swell long ilter feeding. They are another big reminder and real life anxiety at the airport. Away from into the inside area before heading back of just how interconnected you are to the Diani the coastline stretches miles to the south out. During the winter months whale sharks surrounding wildlife in Kenya. into Tanzania, leaving you free to journey of migrate up and down the coast just of the After a long hot day of riding there’s in search of adventure. Secret spots are a dime reef, so don’t be surprised to see a big in come nothing better than to head inland and enjoy a dozen and it’s not uncommon to meet local up out of the water. Don’t worry though, these sunset in the bush and conservation is now kiters who will give up the location of their stunning creatures are completely harmless. high on the government’s agenda. Anyone favourite jaunts. Boat trips are available to head out and see deemed to be elephant hunting for ivory Ater some adventure time away kiting and them during peak migration times. On one can be shot on site. Seeing these beautiful on safari, we returned to our favourite stretch of occasion they were sighted outside the reef, animals in the wild, it’s impossible to imagine white sand feeling like we were coming home. so we foiled up and headed out in search of how anyone could be capable. We were quickly becoming at one with the a close-up viewing. Manu managed to get When travelling away from the beach you ‘Pole Pole’ (slow) pace of life. Wrapping up our closer than she might have hoped for as she are guaranteed to experience some of Kenya’s kites ater a inal session and sinking one more screamed out on seeing a large in poke up inest attributes. This is clearly a poor country cup of tea and cake, our over riding feeling was out of the water on one tack outside. These and the pace of life is slow in comparison to one of afection and connection that we’d built things are enormous, so it’s just as well that what you might be used to, but being immersed up for Kenya, a rare vibration. KW I 084 / FEATURE / TECH I

Goody bags

Santa Maria, you’ve gotta see her KEEP Photo: Jim Gaunt KITEWORLD TESTERS CHRIS AND JIM HEADED OFF TO CAPE VERDE FOR SIX DAYS IN APRIL TO CHECK OUT A NEW KITE FROM CORE CALLED THE NEXUS THAT AIMS TO BREAK DOWN THE GREAT CONTRADICTION: A WAVE KITE THAT CAN BOOST AND LOOP... SCORING WORDS: JIM GAUNT / ALL PHOTOS: THOMAS BURBLIES, UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE here have been more head turning / controversial new bridling is clean, but not ground breaking, while the squarish much a freeride kite with easy power for intermediates. product launches when a brand believe they’ve got the struts lean into that very current hybrid or ‘future’ C shape. Core really kept the formal presentations to a minimum for Tnext step cornered for innovation. Of course, most fresh However, it’s the ride feel and endless possibilities that the the week in Sal. Along with a few other magazines and a crew in the memory are North’s Click Bar and Cabrinha’s Fireball Nexus offers where the real big billing lies. of dealers / distributors, Chris and I were welcomed to our bar / harness systems. Going further back we could highlight When it comes to distributor / dealer / press meetings there’s accommodation at the KiteWorldWide house in Santa Maria, told Slingshot’s One Pump system or the bow kite. a certain amount of formality and grand presentation involved to by Philip (one of Core’s management leaders) that the forecast So what is the Nexus? It looks remarkably similar to many enthuse collective froth in a product / idea. We didn’t know much looked great and all that was expected was that we test the gear other mid-aspect hybrid kites with seemingly no glaringly, new about Core’s plans for this new kite beforehand, other than it was as much as we liked. Sometimes silence speaks volumes... and defining design look. The three strut layout with quite minimal to be replacing the ‘Free’ model in the range – which was very 4X4s shipped us all to the beach where there was always a I 085 I big selection gear for whenever we were ready to ride. Putting products back-to-back was fun and we were hitting Cape Verde’s “THE EASY BUT DYNAMIC HANDLING trade wind season in early April and got six days out of six on CHANGES IN THE NEXUS ARE A the water. The cross-on winds came from the left, peaking at STANDOUT DEVELOPMENT.” 30 knots for one afternoon, averaging 20 most of the time and dippedto12to14knotsonthelastday.Ifyou’venotbeento‘Kite Beach’ at Santa Maria, there’s a nice combination of flat water and kickers that start from fifty metres upwind for twin-tip riding. Straight out from the main beach launch there’s a small rocky section a hundred metres offshore that marks the start of anicewavesectionwhereyoucanlinkthreewavesinarow.It’sa proper playground! Ideal conditions for getting to know a quiver. As Chris said to me at the end, ‘Well, we definitely scored it!’ It’s likely you’ll have heard of Core’s XR5, their big boosting freeride kite that sits at the top of the Woo Sports boosting charts with a 29.9 metre boost that was sent by the hands of Joshua Emanuel in Cape Town last year. The XR5 also offers accessible performance to intermediate riders the world over. Their GTS kite has been made more famous in the hands of Red BullKingoftheAirathlete,StevenAkkersdijk,andissynonymous The wind and the Willow with incredibly consistent kite loops (check this issue’s cover) and yet mixes hybrid levels of depower with advanced handling tuning the power and turn radius. front of the kite. The easy but dynamic handling changes in the and punchy power delivery. Finally they have their Section, a pure The ‘CIT’ is made up with simple three knots on both front Nexus are a standout development, but should you accidentally wave rider’s kite. Very neutral through the window, it has rapid tip corners of the leading edge that attach to the front bridle. set it up on the wrong knot for your own standard / style, you’re turning, light handling and shut-off drifting. Changing these knots is very easy, requiring only the simple not going to get in trouble and suddenly find yourself tapping The new Nexus doesn’t just plug the gap between the loosening of a pigtail and re-tightening over another knot. into scary performance.The kite will just handle a bit differently. more sheet-and-go drive and lofty hang-time of the XR and the Balance things out by repeating the move on the other CIT and As you get more specialised, those differences can really add to powered and pokey GTS, it virtually spans the entire spectrum you’re set up. theperformanceyoufeel.We’rebigfansofsimplicityinthesport with Core’s new Intelligent Trimming system (CIT) that allows Very often people are scared of playing with the settings of and the chance of a smaller quiver of kites. The Nexus is next you to quickly and easily change the character of the kite by their kites, never mind altering the bridle attachments at the level when it comes to that approach.

Steven Akkersdijk, nine metre Nexus on short lines. Steven does pretty much every type of kiteboarding and spends his whole life travelling. We were interested to hear what a real difference the Nexus has made to his life as he now has one kite for everything. His three words to describe the kite: joy, agility and hang-time. “WE’RE BIG FANS OF SIMPLICITY IN THE SPORT AND THE (Given a fourth word, surely he’d add ‘loop’!) CHANCE OF A SMALLER QUIVER OF KITES. THE NEXUS IS NEXT LEVEL WHEN IT COMES TO THAT APPROACH.” I 086 / FEATURE / TECH I

The CIT front bridle settings and the rear line pressure line attachments on the ‘Radical Reaction Tips!

CIT SETTINGS AND HANDLING PERFORMANCE There are three knots settings on the front bridle CIT: ‘Wave’, ‘Allround’ and ‘Freestyle’. Coming out of the factory on the middle ‘Allround’ jack-of- all-trades setting the Nexus is half wave kite, half freestyle / freeride kite. Flying with a stable window position that offers a mix of good depower and power at the bar without being technical to fly. You can literally do everything on this setting, from foiling to wave riding, to big air and freestyle (though it needs some trimming for lots of unhooked riding). Move onto the front ‘Wave’ knot (remember to always adjust the same knot on both sides) and the kite becomes a bit more ‘flighty’, less rooted in the window and to inexperienced riders will seem less stable. Punching further forward in the window it’s quicker, less powered, more nimble, pivotal and generally more responsive to bar sheeting. On each setting the Nexus becomes more suited to certain conditions or what more advanced riders are looking for in a specific type of riding. Basically, you’re adjusting where the kite is able to go in the window. The Nexus with the CIT bridle points circled Switching the knot to the back ‘Freestyle’ setting takes on Photos: Jim Gaunt a more locked-in position. The kite will take a little bit longer to initiate a turn and holds a bit more power. There are also extra settings for the back line bridle on the “IT’S ONE THING TO OFFER A LOT OF ‘Radical Reaction Tips’ to either increase / reduce reactivity and SETTINGS, AND WE’VE SEEN IT BEFORE IN bar pressure. THE PAST, BUT THE EXCEPTIONAL THING It’s one thing to offer a lot of settings, and we’ve seen it WITH THE NEXUS IS THAT THE SETTINGS before in the past, but the exceptional thing with the Nexus NEVER GO TOO FAR THE WRONG WAY.” is that the settings never go too far the wrong way. It never becomes too flighty and punchy, never too unstable at the edge of the window, never too slow and rooted. In the middle setting, you can literally do everything in the same session, from smashing waves to throwing big freestyle – and in fact on that middle setting, Chris set a new all time Woo record for Cape Verde with a jump of 16.1 metres on the 10 metre in fairly average boosting conditions of around 22 knots. So it’s very impressive. Chris said, “Creating a kite that will work really well in the waves and give great boosting and hang-time as well as being able to deliver comfortable loops (or uncomfortable loops more preferably!) is the hardest thing to achieve. When you’re riding a wave you don’t want to be tugged hard while you’re looping the kite, but when you’re jumping high and doing mega loops you do want to get a good tug. So it’s a great solution. Quality outfit “I like to wave ride, I like to ride twin-tips, I want to boost, I want to do loops and when the wind’s right I want to throw some freestyle as well. I want a kite that works well and does those different things without requiring a lot of fiddling about. The changes are real and apparent and have no detrimental effect on the performance of the kite. “In its base setting the Nexus is very usable, but if you come to thinking, ‘Well I want it to feel more wave oriented, lose a bit of lift, turn a bit more pivotally’, then you’re just changing a knot on either side of the leading edge and it does that job without changing anything negatively.” I 087 I

Photos: Jim Gaunt The Sensor bar is nice and compact and works with all kite sizes. Thanks to the lines running up through a splitter in the bar, the lines are naturally untwisted every time you sheet the bar down. One less thing to think about! There are other hidden mechanics, such as the good balance of a two line bridle power line system that transfers into single line safety, for the ultimate flag out, but gives you the best chance possible for the kite to relaunch after having triggered the safety. The cockpit is clean and clear, everything is well tensioned and the safety line is only apparent once you need it

THE CROSS-OVER predictable and you’ll take your riding further, quicker because the in the Nexus to provide that, so a lot of riders, especially bigger In their own marketing, Core say that the Nexus is a blend of the powerdeliveryislessabruptandexplosive.Theturningisbeautiful, wave riders, will appreciate that performance quality. DNA from the GTS and the Section, but we extensively back-to- holding a moderate amount of power through the turn giving a As standard with Core’s Sensor bar systems you get the option backed the Nexus with the XR, because we think that is probably really engaging feeling and for your first loops it’s excellent. ofriggingyourkiteuponeither20,22or24metrelinesandplaying the kite where most people are either going to be progressing Equally you can get a good yank when you want it. However aroundwiththosemakessomuchdifference.Asateamwe’veseen from, or as intermediates are going to be looking at as a new windy, or however hard you pull it, you can loop with confidence that they all love customising their set up. (For their bigger kites kite because of its easy power and well documented, flattering knowing that the kite is going to catch you. The GTS is a handful youcangoupto27metres.)Werode11,10,9,8and7metremodels jumping performance. at times and although does depower well, the bite in power can across different conditions over the week, but perhaps the ten This was a really interesting test for us because we know the catch riders out, so the Nexus is also ideal for riders who are metre gave the biggest tell-tale impression of the kite’s character. XR is so good for jumping and hang-time, but it doesn’t take long looking at the GTS and thinking that they like the style of the Chris: “One thing we should talk about is how impressive the to dial into the Nexus and be jumping just as high. You go up a kite, but perhaps aren’t riding a hundred sessions a year, and ten metre is. A ten metre is usually designed in a batch with the littlebitquickerandyoucomedownalittlebitquicker,sothere’s need something more manageable. bigger kites, whereas a nine metre is more turny, like an eight or a little bit less hang-time in the air than the XR, but the Nexus The Nexus personality doesn’t change at all through the seven, so I usually much prefer looping on a nine. But with the has more than enough boosting capability to keep anyone who sheeting range, making it comfortable and predictable – ten metre on 20 or 22 metre lines it takes such a nice journey has owned an XR happy. If you’re coming from an XR you’re going there are no gaps in feel, especially through turns. Whether around the window, getting nice and low, generating enough G to have to spend a bit of time dialling into the fact that all you aggressively sheeting in or out, you’re also getting that nice force for you to feel a good pull, but catches you every single have to really do with an XR is pull down on the bar and edge a smooth feeling of power delivered to you, which makes so time. I was like, ‘Wow, here I am on a ten in 20 knots, looping bit to get performance. If you are a bit lazy in your handling, the much difference. confidently off waves and it’s never stalling or letting me down.’ sheeting power in the Nexus will still drive you forward, but the It’s not just about the talkback at the bar; the time and Equally, when we put the ten onto 24 metre lines, the slight power is slower to come on through sheeting, so it’s also easier awareness that you have in the air is sublime. Differing to the increase in power and smooth drive made the kite even more on your quad muscles than the XR, too. Section which a lot more focused on driving forward without lift accessible and gave it a few extra knots of get up and go in The Nexus is more focused in its flying and sits a bit further (you need to be a better rider to benefit from that) we’ve seen all lighter winds. So the transformation that there is in the kite is forward in the window, so you can do more with it. It’s also week that you can go out and smash waves in a pretty legitimate really, really good. And every single set-up just works.” quicker in response speed, but it’s still very easy to use and the way on the Nexus and at the same time we’ve watched pro riders Although we’ve talked a lot about the higher end of jumping talk-back from the kite is exceptionally smooth. Willow and Steven throwing huge strapless freestyle tricks, and and looping performance, make no mistake, the Nexus could be Featuring good low and top end range (especially when you you need lift for that. The ability that you have to send the kite your first kite. The basics are covered really well and the Nexus utilise the CIT to your advantage in different winds), so bigger for lift, but also direct it hard across the window and not get is fantastic for transitions, with a lovely amount of lift overhead, and smaller riders don’t need to worry. The Nexus is a bit less pulledoffyourboardwhenridingstraplessisveryimpressive.We which also translates to giving you more time when it comes to ‘torquey’ at the bar than the XR (which is pretty manly), so the don’t know about you, but we’re so often correcting our position learning to slide turn, or even switching your feet when gybing a Nexus is a better solution for smaller riders. in waves after ending up a bit too far in front of the wave and surfboard or tacking a foil. Although the Nexus is a stepping stone to the GTS, it’s then needing a bit more drive from the kite to make up for the unaggressive and there’s no on/off in the sheeting, it’s all very lack of wave power. There’s enough sheeting and turning juice OVERALL You’ll be hard pressed to not like the Nexus because it offers Bully getting down to the nitty gritty with R&D team testers Bully tested the Nexus for over 30 hours that week... simple, uncomplicated and fun performance. Core have done Sebastian ‘Basti’ Witzleben and Steven Akkersdijk. As a and could have gone on! combination they thrash the hell out of everything Photos: Jim Gaunt a fantastic job of breaking through the great contradiction of producing a kite for waves that can go out and set local Woo boosting records. But it’s really all about the feel. When you first plug into the Nexus, it may not set your world alight in terms of your initial sensations and good unhooked riders are going to miss some line slack, but the combination of smooth control and very progressive tweaks to performance make this a kite to comfortably push yourself in all sessions. There are a lot of really good all-round super-kites on the market these days, but for an almost absolute blanket-covering of the entire riding spectrum, if you’re a real all-rounder, the Nexus is worth taking for a spin. KW

I 091I KITEWORLD 2018 CAPE TOWN TESTS: PART TWO FREERIDE NIRVANA CONTINUES! TEST NOTES COMPILED AND EDITED BY: JIM GAUNT / PHOTOS BY: JAMES STANLEY TESTING-TESTING We test equipment all year and in a range of conditions, but all the gear featured in this issue was tested in Cape Town, somewhere we head back to every year because of the reliable, strong winds and frequent swells. We want to see how equipment performs in challenging conditions when there’s chop, waves, strong and sometimes gusty winds - and Cape Town offers that up in spades! Our testers don’t set out to find the best products for pro riders, but instead focus on what’s important for every day riders. Senior tester Chris Bull is 48 has been kiting for 18 years and tested more gear than anyone we know, outside of gear developers themselves. He runs CBK-Hayling Island (www.CBK-haylingisland.com), a lively school, club and shop and understands what riders really need from their purchases. Jim Gaunt is 39, editor of Kiteworld, has been kiting for 15 years and rarely rides the same gear for more than a couple of sessions, so has a detailed understanding of current directions / trends. Kiteworld associate editor Matt Pearce is 29, 6’2’’ and 95 kilos, so adds weight to the team. He’s been kiting for ten years, with six of those spent as a team rider for Liquid Force, he’s been involved in R&D and was an experienced instructor in his time.

Left to right: Bully / Jim / Matt

HERE’S A GUIDE TO WHAT THE SCORES MEAN FOR EACH KITE / BOARD TEST SCORE KEY: TOP WOO SCORES (INCLUDING LAST ISSUE) KITE BALANCE POINT SCORES / 10: Every session we send Chris out with a WOO device to record BUILD QUALITY: 1 = Sew it yourself / 10 = Indestructible which products he manages to go highest on. Obviously FULL PACKAGE: 1 = Pigtails sold separately / 10 = Comes with its own wind conditions and gusts at a particular time can play a huge LOW END: 1 = More power in a handkerchief / 10 = Like a raging bull part in performance, but these are how some of his highlight TOP END: 1 = Force 3 feels like gale force 8 / 10 = Feels manageable in a hurricane. scores played out: STEERING SPEED: 1 = Barely turns / 10 = Blink and you’ll miss it TURNING CIRCLE: 1 = Most pivotal / 10 = Likes to scrape the water Gaastra Pure 9m: 19.9m / 8.0 seconds of airtime POWER THROUGH TURN: 1 = You won’t notice it turning / 10 = Could move a house F-One Bandit 9m: 19.6m / 7.9 seconds BAR PRESSURE: 1 = Light as a feather / 10 = Get down the gym North Rebel 8m: 19.4m / 6.8 seconds WATER RELAUNCH: 1 = Superglues itself to the water / 10 = Cat on a tin roof Ozone Hyperlink 9m: 18.9m / 8.5 seconds DRIFT: 1 = Always at the edge of the window / 10 = Goes directly with the wind. Cabrinha Switchblade 9m: 18.1m / 7.0 seconds BOOST: 1 = More lift in a wet towel / 10 = Heading for space Naish Dash 8m: 16.7m / 6.7 seconds HANG-TIME: 1 = Short haul flight / 10 Long haul flight Takoon Wook 8m: 15.8 m / 6.7 seconds UNHOOKED: 1 = Collapses or pulls your arms out of their socket / 10 = Who needs a chicken-loop? North Evo 9m: 15.4m / 6.5 seconds EASE-OF-USE: 1 = Makes you book more lessons / 10 = Makes you look good THANKS TO: BOARD BALANCE POINT SCORES / 10 Thanks to the following shops for loaning us gear: BUILD QUALITY: 1 = Warrantied for the weekend / 10 = Hand it down through generations AIRUSH: www.boardandkiteafrica.com FIXTURES AND FITTINGS: 1 = Some chance of assembly / 10 = Accessories from the Gods CABRINHA AND RRD: www.cabrinha.co.za SPEED: 1 = Whales will overtake you / 10 = Induces wrinkles in your cheeks F-ONE: www.facebook.com/fonesouthafrica POP: 1 = Like a lead balloon / 10 = How’s the view? LIQUID FORCE: www.liquidforcect.co.za DRIVE: 1 = Constrained in chains / 10 = Fuel a space mission with the energy MYSTIC: www.facebook.com/mysticsouthafrica FLEX: 1 = More movement in a concrete slab / 10 = Bends like paper NAISH: www.suntrax.co.za COMFORT: 1 = Like riding over rocks / 10 = Like cruising on fluffy clouds NORTH: www.thebrandstable.co.za LOOSENESS: 1 = Lacks direction / 10 = Like its on rail tracks OZONE: www.surfstore.co.za GRIP: 1 = More traction in a tea tray / 10 = Like a Formula One car SLINGSHOT: www.kitekahunas.com UPWIND: 1 = “We’re all about the downwinders anyway” / 10 = America’s Cup challenger SLIDER PROOF: Yes / No LOGISTICS AND LOCAL VIBES: FREERIDING: 1 = Makes flat water feel like moguls / 10 = Ride fresh powder every day Cape Town Guru: www.capetownguru.com FREESTYLE: 1 = Stuck to the water / 10 = Responds best to rough treatment High Five: www.high-five.co.za EASE-OF-USE: 1 = Build your own / 10 = Features auto trick learning button

*DT = Didn’t test, so not prepared to score I 092 / TESTS / AIRUSH I

Photo: Andre Magarao AIRUSH LITHIUM 8 & 10M TEST TEAM NOTES: The Lithium has been rooted at the core of Airush’s product line take you really high. Vitally the kite travels with you very nicely safe, easy and the relaunch is pretty much as quick and easy as for as long as we can remember and in that time has received and will bring you back down to the water softly without you it gets thanks to this tuned delta shape. The final cool feature: steady tweaks. Still one of the most popular and ideal beginner having to think too much about what you’re doing with the bar. the bag is made from recycled bottles! kites on the market, it has the ability to please advanced riders Occasionally, if you get your take-off a bit wrong, or when you do SUMMARY: too thanks to having one of the most well behaved and balanced get a huge boost, the Lithium’s meaty power can make you feel Although you’ll make less mistakes on the Lithium in general, handling feels on the market. Airush had it right with the Lithium like you’re travelling quite a distance quite quickly and like you’re the intuitive feedback feel means that because the kite feels so early, which is why much of the developments each year have approaching the water with higher rates of forward momentum, very logical in its handling, it’s also easy to correct any errors been focused on the construction and materials, rather than the but the feedback at the bar is so good that you can sheet out to that you do make with it. Although advanced wave riders, high- shape of the design itself. slow down before feeding the kite back into the power and then performance freeriders and aerial artists are going to choose As the Lithium is now bought and used by a wide spectrum of move it upwards just before landing to ensure a soft touchdown. something quicker through the sky that can get to the front of riders, Airush offer it in three different grades (and expense) of This is a good example of how the Lithium’s clear feedback helps the window more dynamically, there aren’t many kites that are canopy construction, from their all-singing premium line, using you tune into achieving better and more intuitive handling skills. so good as a first kite that truly tick so many levels of cross-over Teijin Technoforce D2 double rip-stop cloth and Airush’s exclusive You can feel all the controls working. ability and will last you for so long. Dyneema load frame with Web Tech in their ‘Core’ series, down to Most of the Lithium’s great performance comes from its KW LIKED: the simple yet durable and cost-effective ‘Progression’ product line. low-end power. As the winds get strong, it becomes a handful Utter dependability and one of the most naturally intuitive kites The Lithium is a classic, strong delta shape that offers plenty more quickly for its size than a higher-performance freeride kite to fly that you’ll ever ride. of growly power and lots of depower. The key to the Lithium’s might. As you get towards the top of the Lithium’s range you’ll KW WOULD CHANGE: highly rated performance is that the power doesn’t come on need to engage the rail of your board in the water quite strongly Nothing. The Lithium has stood the test of time and, honestly, particularly fast, but equally doesn’t drop too quickly either, to get the kite forwards in the wind as it does like to pull quite even though it is technically a ‘beginners’ kite, we always have so although it’s safe and very plug-and-play, it helps achieve a deeply in the window; which is why it’s generally very smooth and a great session on it, whatever the conditions and wherever the smooth riding style more easily. easy to use. This is where advanced riders will smile because you session. The feedback at the bar is very clear without feeling heavy can get some great performance out of the Lithium in strong LITHIUM BALANCE POINTS: going, but it’s almost as if some of the padding and dampeners winds as it can be sent hard for bundles of air time. The power Build quality: 9 have been stripped away compared to some softer kites. As a band is very well rounded. It picks up and up and doesn’t spike Full package: 8.5 rider it’s very easy to piece together the steering techniques to abruptly at its peak, so although you can get overpowered on it, Low end: 9 form solid building blocks and work towards great performance, it never bites surprisingly and is always predictable. If it does Top end: 7.5 whether you’re looking to jump higher, or steer the kite harder get too much there’s loads of depower trim to pull on and lots of Steering speed: 6.5 and carve around behind it. sheeting range when you lean forward, push the bar out and turn Turning circle: 4 The pivotal turn means that the Lithium doesn’t develop all the noise down. Bar pressure: 6 power through its turn, but cleverly there isn’t a sudden drop The Airush Core bar system is at the grippier end of the Water relaunch: 9.5 and then sharp return in drive when you move it. The drop is spectrum, very robust and is highly effective in its simplicity. Drift: 7 gradual and then the increase in drive once you’ve finished Choose from a pull-pull trimming tab option (that offers more Boost: DT turning - and as the kite starts to move forward again - comes in depower throw) or a neat rope trimming cleat. The plastic Hang-time: DT progressively. So you can be as gentle or aggressive as you like coating over the depower line stops your fingers rubbing directly Unhooked: 4.5 when you steer the kite into a turn and, as you get more and more against the rope inside it, although the safety line does run Cross-over: 8 confident, the Lithium always delivers a natural feeling of drive. free outside of the plastic so that it can operate as safely as Ease-of-use: 9 Although there is plenty of power on tap, it never comes on possible. The chicken-loop push-away action triggers super SIZES: 17, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5m abruptly. The lift isn’t explosive but it’s easy to access and can easily and the Lithium flags out 100% onto a single line. Super www.airush.com I 093 I

GAASTRA SPARK 9M TEST TEAM NOTES: jumps and getting a good chunk of air time on the Spark. This Spark review follows on from the Gaastra Pure review last Although the Pure has an extra 15% of elasticity at the top of issue, a kite which you may remember scored the highest Woo a boost, it’s more technical to achieve that performance. The jump stat for Bully this season in Cape Town, with a recorded lower aspect shape of the Spark is super easy and although boost height of 19.9 metres and 8 seconds of air time! An you can’t squeeze as much height out of it, more riders will intriguing follow up, for sure... be going higher more quickly on it because it’s very easy to A quick re-visit of the bar and build: Gaastra’s X4 bar system boost on it. Also, it actually produces a more engaging loop is extremely light and streamlined. The grip diameter is just than the Pure, even though technically the Pure is the more 23mm and the rubber is a medium grip grade, so is comfortable high performance kite. The Pure’s differing performance comes without being slippy. The quick-release is new and conforms to from its higher aspect nature, which provides lots of lift but SUMMARY:SUMMARY all the most stringent French norms, so can be released with not so much drive around a turn. The absolute steep jumping The Spark is a playful kite with good low end performance and very little force at all angles. The trimming cleat and rope are and rangey performance of the Spark isn’t as good as the Pure, intuitive response for throwing shapes in average conditions. smooth with a Velcro fastener to prevent trimming dangle but it’s a different specimen. The off-set of that is that it quickly becomes powerful as a nine when depowered. The circular trimming line system can also be What you see is what you get with the Spark. It doesn’t metre and asks a lot of a rider in 25 knots, but once again from adjusted to position the cleat lower down for riders with shorter require very adept handling and the power is plentiful. We Gaastra it’s a really good looking kite, well balanced canopy and arms. There is also a swivel below the bar for untwisting your enjoyed the tuned feel and balance between turn initiation speed great differentiation between the two freeride kites we tested lines (which we always like to see!). The Gaastra one could be and the way the kite then drives through a turn. You quickly gain from them in these last two issues. In essence the Spark’s low easier and needs a bit of a wristy movement, but you’ll certainly the confidence to throw loops on landing or around a carve aspect shapes offers simple access to progression, there’s no get used to it. because of the constant feel. stalling and it’s a lot of fun in its correct wind range. The bar is one size and can’t adjusted at the ends, but you can The Spark also holds onto some power when you sheet out, KW LIKED: alter the line length from 21 to 24 metres, depending on if you so when you’re really powered up and jumping over waves and The Spark has a good and engaging feel about it. It’s not just a want to go shorter for a super direct feel, or longer for smooth negotiating your way around other kiters, we had to adapt our bland beginner kite. There’s a lot of life in it! power and maximum boosting (we used 24). Overall, this bar riding a bit to manage that. The flip-side is when you’re riding in KW WOULD CHANGE: system is comfy, neat and minimum in fuss, making for a light its comfortable wind range, that constancy that it has can really To have more range in the higher winds we’d want the Spark to weight and nicely paired down design. smooth out your riding as the Spark isn’t suddenly on and then move a bit further forward in the window, but then its simple The kite itself is well fitted out with Boston inflate valve, suddenly off with its power. handling and low end power would change. different bar pressure / steering settings and generally the In 14 – 20 knots the Spark is a real joy for fast, fun freeriding SPARK BALANCE POINTS: canopy and build is up to a pretty good standard without having performance and offers loads of boost and hang-time in relatively Build quality: 7.5 lots of marketing messages in every corner. light winds. The nimble and responsive turns (with feeling) will Full package: 7.5 Again we tested the Spark at both ends of what can be suit anyone from beginner up to progressive intermediates, Low end: 9 considered the nine metre spectrum, from the mid teens to mid especially if you live in a softer wind area. Top end: 6 20 knots. The Spark is very different to the Pure in that there’s a Cape Town is brutal for highlighting a kite’s top end limits and Steering speed: 6 much greater and more obvious delivery of low end grunt with not all riders want a kite for Cape Town. The bonus is you can get Turning circle: 5 lots of sheet-and-go power on tap. The pull generated through nine-metre responsiveness and performance in what are really 11 Bar pressure: 6 simple bar sheeting is solid and there’s no need to work the kite metre weather conditions, and once you’ve got your sizing right, Water relaunch: 8.5 up and down a lot to get going. The light wind drive is impressive, you’ll have lots of fun. Drift: 7 though the Spark does become quite a handful in terms of power In its perfect low to mid-range, the Spark has a lovely Boost: 7 once you get up towards 25 knots. Where some kites can really constant pressure and differs to its higher aspect sibling, the Hang-time: 8 stretch their legs and be comfortable in the higher winds (such Pure, that has more spikes of power when you sheet in at the Unhooked: NA as the Pure which likes to get forward in the window), the Spark bar. The Spark has more of a flowing turn and in 15 to 20 knots Crossover: 7 excels more towards the lower end of the spectrum. therefore offers a good mix of wave and freeriding. Step down a Ease of use: 8 The turn is however playful and although forgiving can size and get on a seven metre nice and early. If you’re into waves SIZES: 17, 14, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 4m produce a nice pull. We had loads of fun with the grunty or a smaller rider that enjoys a small kite, that’s great. www.ga-kiteboarding.com I 094 / TESTS / NORTH I

NORTH EVO 9M TEST TEAM NOTES: What you may not know is that North actually have two full time than the Rebel while the hang-time naturally offers more float. the covered centre line is slightly rectangular, so as you pull the kite designers, Ken Winner and Ralf Groeschl. They don’t work In our opinion the Rebel is the better high wind kite with more bar down the line rotates in the swivel. Covered up, subtle, clever together, and in fact are pretty much spurred on to beat the explosive lift and supreme flight characteristics, whereas the Evo and smooth (there is a swivel above the chicken-loop too). popularity of each other’s kites. Competition is healthy and the gives you more easy bang for your buck, sits a bit deeper in the SUMMARY: obvious winner is North who have nine different kite models in window, offers better bar drive and has the more simple jumping The Evo is now more linear in the way it talks to you through their range, from a single strut light wind kite, through to their characteristics for a quicker reward. Where the Evo has really power and depower delivery and in the smoothness of its turn. specialised freestyle and wave products and they even have a improved this year is in the turning feel, though. It reacts quicker The Evo still suits a rider looking for powerful drive, but it’s now ram air kite for foiling / racing, called the Ace. and has more of a constant and rounded turn. It’s much more fun less fatiguing and more capable of being thrown around the The Evo, designed by Ralf (who also designs the Vegas and Dice) and suited to progressing with kite loops now and, linked to these window, whether you’re stepping into kite loops or riding waves has always been North’s go-to sheet-and-go super simple freeride lighter and more tuned handling characteristics, it’s also better The volume always stays the same and it rarely puts a foot wrong. power source, suitable for entry-level riders looking for simplicity, for lighter riders and has become a more logical stepping stone KW LIKED: however team rider Tom Hebert also employs it as his most used towards the Dice. Slower and steadier than the Dice of course, it The Evo is a very complete freeride experience. kite because of its immense hang-time for huge board-offs or also has more of a grunty power supply that makes it easier for KW WOULD CHANGE: innovative glide-based tricks in a wide range of winds. most people to use. Although the Evo requires plenty of trimming, Some riders might prefer a bit more urgency, zip, poke and This year the Evo is still a delta shape, but now has three it’s also the better cross-over kite compared to the Rebel when it perhaps more of a spike in the kite’s character. The Evo is struts instead of five and offers a more all-round performance comes to moving into unhooked tricks. Of course, with its delta perhaps guilty of being a bit too clean! with increased feel at the edge of the window. There is still shape, the Evo is super quick and easy to relaunch. EVO BALANCE POINTS: plenty of power on tap at the bar and the Evo is still simple and At the kite, the Trinity TX yarn is exclusive to North and they Build quality: 9 easy to ride, but it has more turning performance and the kite claim it’s superior to any other yarns in terms of durability and Full package: 9.5 feels more adaptive. dynamic performance. It certainly feels nice in your hands and Low end: 8.5 The bar pressure is now a little lighter and the relationship the kite is rock solid in the sky. All North’s fixtures and fittings Top end: 8 between available power and turning response is more closely are not only strong, but they’re very clean and simple, too. We Steering speed: 6 aligned. Basically, the kite can now respond quicker to your used the click bar on 22 metre lines with the Evo (there is a 24 Turning circle: 5 steering input and you can do more with it. metre line option). The V2 Click bar can now be set up on three Bar pressure: 5.5 The obvious comparison in the range is with the Rebel (see different chicken-loop sizes, depending on your riding preference Water relaunch: 9 last issue for the review), which flies faster and further forward (and whether you’ll be riding with a rope harness or not), the Drift: DT in the window, has a bigger top end, feels like it has more gears floaters have been upgraded with integrated rubber patches Boost: 8 and rewards a slightly more technical hooked-in pilot. The Rebel and there is a new V distributor, which is even easier to adjust Hang-time: 9 has 10% more elasticity to give more absolute height when you for rigging up on different kites. Of course there’s the clicker on Unhooked: DT send it right for a boost. The Evo still has more grunt, is more the bar end to depower which means there’s no more reaching Crossover: 6.5 rooted in the sky and is the more plug and play of the two. forward to a cleat and potentially losing your edge. One often Ease of use: 8.5 Although the boost capabilities are still very high and the lift is overlooked element of the Click bar is that, every time you sheet SIZES: 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4m strong and commanding, the Evo’s climb speed is a little slower in, the bar automatically untwists your lines after a rotation as www.northkites.com I 095 I

PETER LYNN ESCAPE V7 9M TEST TEAM NOTES: Peter Lynn may not be a brand that you’re overly familiar with, still produces a really impressive climb when you boost, then but they have a strong heritage that runs right the way back consider the extended hang-time, and you’ve got yourself a to early power kites, but they’ve also been making water kites kite that’s very well set-up for the average twin-tipper to take since the very early days, initially with their twin-skin kites like them way beyond. The Navigator bar is improved and now fully the Guerilla, and of course then with tube kites. They have a very featured. Feeling good in your hands, there’s no space-age tech committed core following and that customer group is growing. with it – it’s not pushing that frontier, but it’s all neat, tough The first and primary reason is that their kites have a great and very functional. The bar is available in four sizes, from 60 connection. Appealing to fliers who like a fast and clean response to 43 centimetre widths, rigs up on 22 or 24 metre lines and also from their kite, we’ve really enjoyed Peter Lynn’s instinctive feel comes with a chicken-loop that’s generously sized for unhooking. over the last few seasons, particularly on the Swell, which Although we were unable to test the unhooked traits of the kite excelled for us as a wave kite in our 2016 Cape Town reviews. very much in Cape Town on any decent flat water, you can feel We’ve also seen the likes of Willem van der Meij throwing that with just a little trimming the Escape could be set up as a some massive boosts and loops in Cape Town in and around the steady power source, sheeting down nicely, which is impressive KW LIKED: King of the Air period on the Escape and what’s very evident after considering the grunt it has hooked-in when trimmed out at full Lifty, loopy performance and lots of range. spending a lot of time watching most of the world’s best send power. We also know that Peter Lynn are pushing this kite as a KW WOULD CHANGE: jumps in Cape Town is the natural float and hang-time that the true unhooked cross-over kite, but we can only speculate as to BeginnersBeginners andand earlyearly intermediatesintermediates will find the EscapeEscape a bit Escape can deliver. just how advanced you could get with it, though for at least what too racey, while at the other end, if you’re looking for a hybrid First up, the Escape is built a round rare four strut layout, 80% of the unhooked generation will be doing the Escape will be kite that excels at wider and more drivey kite loops, then there which Peter Lynn utlize because it allows that central section more than capable. are freeride kites that will provide a dirtier loop. The Escape is of the canopy to create a lot of power and our first note is The Escape is at the more powerful end of crossing over into all about a good connection and rewarding fun for the biggest that the Escape certainly has an outstanding bottom end. The foiling, but there’s good, quick depower and what will make the proportion of freeriders. leading edge is relatively thin, which usually indicates a quicker Escape really nice for foiling is the clean forward flight, the light ESCAPE BALANCE POINTS: kite and, true to design traits, the Escape combines forward wind drive and the quick-response turning speed. So there’s also Build quality: 8 flight with a good injection of energy from the canopy, which is definitely cross-over here into waves, too. Full package: 8 a pleasing asset for your general riding ease. That bottom end The build is a bit lighter than some, but the Escape definitely Low end: 8.5 isn’t overbearing as the wind picks up either and the Escape has triumphs when it comes to getting the weight of the build just Top end: 8 a beautiful ability to harness power very manageably. The tuned right to be strong enough for the job but not becoming too heavy to Steering speed: 6 and mid-weight steering also really helps add to the engaging be detrimental to the positive flight characteristics of the kite. It’s Turning circle: 4 experience of the kite. really good fun to fly and we really enjoyed not having to sacrifice Bar pressure: 5 You may have read our glowing Naish Pivot review earlier boost and lift as a trade-off for fast and responsive turning. Water relaunch: 9 this year, and what a freeride kite that is – well, this Escape SUMMARY: Drift: 7 is pushing that realm too. Combining a good top end with the The Escape isn’t just another three strut hybrid, it’s got a fun Boost: 8 impressive low end, the Escape is quite quick, but importantly character and delivers a very engaging freeride experience. Hang-time: 9 it’s very consistent, so although it’s relatively fast you feel very Providing a genuinely wide wind range, the Escape’s good low Unhooked: 6.5 in tune with it all the time. It loops really well – not in a low down end drive doesn’t suddenly become too much of a handful when Crossover: 8 dirty way, but it gets round quickly and smoothly, which makes the wind picks up and the user-friendliness mixes with great Ease of use: 9 this a kite that likes to be thrown around. performance for advanced freeriders, so we’d be very happy to SIZES: 17, 15, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7 and 5m Combine that with its untechnical handling character that use this as our go-to kite all the time. www.peterlynnkiteboarding.com I 096 / TESTS / RRD I

RRD PASSION 9M TEST TEAM NOTES: We’ve had extensive experience with the Passion over several without having to fully sheet out, which also really helps when bar for all your RRD kites. As personal preference we do prefer seasons as (among other kites) Bully’s had a few in his school it comes to influencing the wing-tips for a quick relaunch. a smaller and more compact bar when riding smaller kite sizes, for lessons. They’ve always been a solidly performing kite, Some beginner / intermediate kites have so much bar throw to but as usual with this sort of comment, it’s just down to what particularly good at delivering lots of low end torquey power. create range that it can feel like you’re playing the trombone you’re used to. Quite frankly there was rarely much need for anything bigger while you’re riding and you inevitably end up leaning forward to SUMMARY: than a nine most of the time and once the wind started gusting sheet out. The Passion allows for a nice upright and controlled This year’s Passion is the same stable workhorse, but now has anything close to 25+ knots, the nine metre became a very riding position. more usable range, so as a first kite or for intermediates the physical experience. Pound for pound the Passion has always You can put the nine up and kite all day in 15 knots with park and ride stability is great. Consistent and stable in the been a power player but quite quickly became a handful for plenty of power and not feel fatigued. Steering cleanly around gusts, the Passion is easy to control and will get you going in beginners and intermediates who’d find themselves changing the window, the Passion controls really make sense and you’re lower winds than you might expect. A more experienced freerider down a size sooner than most. not going to be worried about accidentally mis-handling the kite might wish for a little more ‘va va voom’ but as RRD have added The Passion MK9 now has more range. The forward pull in difficult conditions. The slower turn initiation and increased some more personality to their other kites higher up the range, is more positive and the Passion now feels less physically force needed to get a quick reaction requires commitment, so the’ve taken a bit of punch out of the Passion and it’s now a demanding as the wind picks up. You still don’t need to steer the the Passion isn’t the most natural kite to learn to kite loop for progressive tool for a wider range of beginner and intermediates kite much to create power and the Passion doesn’t move too far example, but again its steadiness means it’s predictable and of different weights and strengths. forward in the window, so the drive is consistent. If you make a capable of getting round smoothly. KW LIKES: mistake and slow up, or mess up your track towards a ramp and In waves you can just sheet in a bit to catch up to the wave Solid low-end, rugged build quality, ultra-accessible handling you want to re-generate speed, you don’t have to strike the kite or leave the kite to drift and ride down-the-line (check out Colin characteristics and improved levels of comfort when powered. up and down too much. There’s a good amount of torque through Heckroodt’s cover shot on KW #88 for evidence of that in cross KW WOULD CHANGE: just pulling on the bar. Rather than getting a spike it’s a smooth off-shore conditions). The Passion is a good mid-range performer Some of the kite’s spark may have been filtered out this year but delivery of power. but not best suited to an aggressive wave rider who likes to steer the added wind range makes up for that. The Passion still prefers to be parked than steered quickly the kite quickly. If you’re looking for a lighter freeride kite for PASSION BALANCE POINTS: around the window, and as such is suited to beginner and chasing around the sky, this is going to feel too physical, but RRD Build quality: 9 intermediate riders. Although it’s very steady in its handling, the have plenty other kites to suit that style of riding. Full package: 8 Passion has enough forward drive to make kitesurfing easy but RRD kites always score well on the durability scale. Low end: 9 never flies to the less stable zone at the edge of the window, even Everything from the hardy multi-use bag (which doubles as a Top end: 7 if you’re not riding your board as smoothly as you want. wetsuit changing mat / car seat cover) to the feel of the beefy Steering speed: 6 The constancy of the Passion will really help beginners and struts and the reinforced leading edge and super-tough canopy Turning circle: 4.5 intermediates build confidence. Straight out of the bag the exude long-life characteristics. The industry-standard Boston Bar pressure: 6 Passion is very easy to set-up and then the performance feel mid-valve makes for quick and easy inflation too. Water relaunch: 9 is always the same; you go up and come down very smoothly The Global V8 bar is similarly tough and well featured having Drift: 7.5 and in a consistent arc, which is what most intermediates are been slightly updated in 2017. Generally clean, comfortable and Boost: 7 looking for. If you’re beyond that ability then there’s not much easy to operate, we also always enjoy an above-the-bar cleat Hang-time: 8 pure spike and punch to the jump, but there is more room to trim. We’re also really pleased to see a new line unspinner above Unhooked: 5 breathe in your general riding now. The hang-time and floaty the chicken-loop that works well. Cross-over: 6 descent are very smooth, so the Passion won’t overshoot your RRD have designed every size of every model in their Ease-of-use: 8 ability and feels less intimidating. You should note here that entire kite line to work off the same 50 cm bar, which ensures PASSION SIZES: LW 17, LW 15, LW 13.5, 12, 10.5, 9, 7 and 5m the Passion also has a very measured throw with great range consistency whatever you’re flying and means you only need one www.robertoriccidesigns.com

I 098 / TESTS / SLINGSHOT I

SLINGSHOT RALLY 9M TEST TEAM NOTES: The Rally has long been popular as a solid, reliable freeride experience that’s instantly gratifying. sheeting power for great hang-time. Sometimes the RPM needs stalwart. Not unlike its big brother, the Turbine, it has impressive The accessible feel continues on into the Rally’s jumping a bit more movement, so can feel a bit more technical if you’re wind range and low-end power, making it a dependable kite for performance. The RPM, which is again a very popular kite that’s used to a very driving bar feel. racking up the sessions. Combining formidable grunt with been around for a long time, takes an experienced hand to get SUMMARY: reactive steering and a ready relaunch, the Rally is a classic the best jumping performance out of it. You really need to find The things we’ve always liked about the Rally - dependability, bow-style kite that’s been proven with time. the sweet spot to get the best airtime out of that kite, but the predictability and an accessible ride feel are still there – while As with all Slingshot kites, the construction is as sturdy as Rally is much more of a ‘point and shoot’ weapon that will provide the improved low end stability has raised the game in lighter they come with reinforcements in all key areas and a solid feel good lift even if your handling technique isn’t yet perfect when winds without having to be too careful with your sheeting. both in your hands and in the sky. Also of note is Slingshot’s very you send the kite for a jump. There’s plenty of power on tap and, if you look at various Rally rugged One-Pump system (they invented it) that simply attaches The Rally might not ultimately take you as high as a Core owners, you’ll see that there’s also a die hard contingent of more directly to the pump hose and is a very secure connection. XR-5 for example, but it’s very predictable and engaging with an experienced riders who love it, from big boosters to those who That feeling of American-made durability continues onto the affirmative feel at the bar that makes it easy to control thanks like the mix of grunt and quicker steering in the smaller sizes for control system and the Compstick bar. You’d be hard pressed to to its 20 metre lines. playing in waves. As a result the Rally is a very fun and positive break one of these! The quick release works extremely well and is The water relaunch is super reliable and, combined with freeride kite that responds affirmatively to your input at the bar one of the easiest out there to reassemble, while the above-the- its build quality, a reason why the Rally has found its way into and maximises your time on the water. bar Sentinel trim works smoothly and has a magnetic retainer kite schools over the years. If you’re riding in marginal winds, KW LIKED: for the rope so that it doesn’t flap around when pulled on. The or you’re still perfecting your relaunch skills, you’ll really It’s easy to tune into and offers uncomplicated, fun freeride below-the-bar line spinner is excellent too (there isn’t one on the appreciate this. performance from the very start. below-the-bar trimming option control system). However, as manageable as this kite is, it’s still got some KW WOULD CHANGE: The rubber coating is rugged but is undoubtedly very durable horsepower to contend with. The power is delivered steadily As easy as this kite is to ride, some may still find it a bit muscular. while the moulded bar ends and EVA floats give it a polished but and it’s unlikely to catch you out, but there’s quite a lot of pull If you prefer a softer touch, we might suggest the RPM. simple feel. Slingshot’s ‘Oh Sh*t’ handles also still feature, giving through the harness and it really holds on to the power when RALLY BALANCE POINTS: you an extra safety system to rely upon should you ever need it. you’ve got it sheeted in. Essentially retaining consistent levels Build quality: 9 We’ve tested most versions of the Rally up to now and it’s not of power, you know where you are with it, what the kite’s doing Full package: 8 a kite that Slingy tend to make drastic changes to because it just and when the power’s going to come on. Low end: 9 works so well for the market, but this year we reckon it’s the best You can dump quite a lot out of power from the Rally when Top end: 7 version yet. This is in part because they’ve eliminated any back you sheet out, but it’s not like the RPM - which makes you feel as Steering speed: 6 stall that you may have experienced when fully sheeting in hard though you could ride an 8-9 metre in a hurricane. The Rally’s low Turning circle: 4 in lighter winds and it’s now keener to fly forward. On some bow- end is great though, so you can change down a size sooner. An Bar pressure: 6 style kites with huge wind ranges, there can be a slight slipping average sized rider will be able to get going on a 12 metre Rally in Water relaunch: 9 of the clutch when sheeted hard in low winds. The 2018 model winds as low 12 knots and will feel fully in control up to around 20 Drift: 7 sheets cleanly and develops power as soon as you engage it. knots while the predictable, but direct, handling means the kite Boost: 8 Combine that with the Rally’s already impressive torque delivers a lively riding experience without any nasty surprises. Hang-time:8 at the bar and you now get even better low end from a very Aside from the power delivery, the other main difference Unhooked: 5 comfortable hooked-in freeride kite. Perhaps a bit overbearing between the Rally and the RPM is the way they turn. The RPM has Cross-over: 7 for small / light riders, the Rally is going to offer a lot to the a much more rounded and whippy turn, whereas the Rally is very Ease-of-use: 9 freerider who likes a bit of heft at the bar and that power is pivotal, so drops power through the turn, which is why it’s great RALLY SIZES: 14, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5m easily accessed by just sheeting in. It’s a classic plug-and-play for beginners and intermediates and those who like to ride with www.slingshotsports.com

I 100 / TESTS / CRAZYFLY I

CRAZYFLY SCULP 9 & 12M TEST TEAM NOTES: We tested the 12 and nine metre Sculps this spring once back When it comes to exciting boost performance, the Sculp nine talked a lot about the Sculp’s high jumping ability, in regular in the UK over several sessions and found there is a difference metre can hang with the big players, but what we really respect conditions that smooth lift makes it a really good companion in character between the two sizes, but what an eye-popping it for is how accessible that performance is. for general intermediate improvement and making sense of your duo. Bright, but not sickly, we always get good comments on the It’s not a kite for kite looping though. You can loop on it, but it first jumps. Don’t worry, you’re not going to fly away! beach when out on CrazyFly gear. doesn’t tend to snap around the bottom of the loop. You get a good The whole package is legit. CrazyFly make all their own gear in In the past we’ve saluted the Sculp and for several seasons hoik but then tend to catch up and over take the kite as it gets their own factory in Europe and, hats off to them, it’s clean, crisp tested the nine metre in Cape Town. An incredibly easy kite to overhead, which is more unnerving than on really drivey kites. It is and works perfectly. Even the bag is well featured and the bar has boost and get good hangtime on, the 12 is a bit different. We however very good at downloop transitions and tricks where you’re it’s own neat bag. Mid-size inflation, lovely feeling cloth; the Sculp rode the 12 in averaging 15 knots and flat water and found that hanging under the kite. It also likes to be sent hard round a turn is up there, you’re spending your money and getting a lot back. it’s a very adaptable kite. when smashing a wave on a twin-tip, so it’s nicely responsive and SUMMARY: Developing smooth power, the 12 is more sedate than the easy to ride, but just lacks the automatic drive round the bottom of One of the most accessible jumping kites out there that offers nine in the way it delivers power to you. There’s still lots of lift but a loop that keen kite loopers will be looking for. very special jumping performance and doesn’t require a lot of the 12 is also a bit more suitable for all-round riding and, with a Anyway, the Sculp has far greater assets. Superb upwind technical skills. This is quite a powerful kite, so size accordingly, bit of trimming, is a genuinely fun unhooking kite. Trimmed down drive mixes with beautiful lift and hangtime, and that’s a big but with the Sculp you get access to the skies and really the Sculp flies forward when unhooked and is capable of creating set of boxes ticked for freeriding. Offering a great low end and beautiful flight trajectory. some line slack too for bar passing. (You should also note that easy access to power, you can sheet in, throw the kite about, KW LIKED: the chicken-loop is a superb size for a mix of unhooked / hooked- there’s no lag, no stalling and the Sculp never hiccups, which is The rush of the boost and then time to enjoy the flight on the in action.) Many modern three strut hybrid kites will unhook, impressive considering the power it packs away. way down. but once you start your trick they tend to drop back a bit in the The power band feels like it kicks-in in two stages. You send KW WOULD CHANGE: window and become more technical because of that extra pull at the kite and take-off and then this secondary phase of quick and The Sculp does get a bit manly at its top end, so make sure you the moment you want to make the pass. The Sculp keeps moving explosive lift kicks in. It pulls you the whole way up fast and get a small one in your quiver. forward and has a nice combination of drive and pop to unhook, powerfully, but isn’t a physical exercise. Like a sports motorbike SCULP BALANCE POINTS: but when reaching for the bar it seems to go nice and light. It’s the initial lift happens low down in the rev range, and then you hit Build quality: 8.5 good! That session was the dream summer freeride combination this sweet spot of 4,000 to 8,000 revs where it just comes alive. Full package: 9 with enough power and handling to do a bit of everything. That connected feel makes this truly one of the best jumping Low end: 9 Transitions on the Sculp are always fantastic because it’s very and hang-time freeride kites out there. Bully got 14.7 metres on Top end: 7 good at any tricks that need steady, supportive lift from the kite, a very average 20 knot day on the nine, showing how easy it is to Steering speed: 6 such as board-offs / darkslides / hand-drag downloops etc. The 12 get consistently good performance. Turning circle: 5 metre really impressed with its accessibility. At the top of its range you’ll get fatigued more quickly than on Bar pressure: 6 This year we had the nine metre in 20 – 25 knots and then other nine metres, so be ready to switch down once you go much Water relaunch: 8.5 for another session in 25 – 30 knots. In the past we have highly beyond 25 knots. At that stage you’ll need good edging and kite Drift: DT recommended the Sculp for bigger riders looking for an easy kite positioning skills, but if you send it right, you can go seriously Boost: 9 to jump with. Once again it has so much boom-boom on tap, but high (it’s a shame we weren’t Woo-ing!). Lots of kites can take you Hang-time: 9 advising it for bigger riders makes it sound more cumbersome up in a turbo charged elevator, but it’s the quality of the Sculp’s Unhooked: 7 than it is. The steering isn’t heavy and there’s smooth depower come down journey that sets it apart. It almost does it all for Crossover: 7 on tap (though it doesn’t drop 100%), but it’s just so easy to you and offers so much flight time. It’s easy, rewarding and very Ease of use: 9 jump on and that’s often where bigger riders find difficultly with smile inducing. As it’s very stable, you’re encouraged to start SIZES: 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7m kites that require a bit more accuracy in overhead positioning. taking one hand off and reaching for the board... Although we’ve www.crazyflykites.com

I 102 / TESTS / CORE/F-ONE/LIEUWE I

CORE FUSION 3 137 F-ONE CARBON TEST TEAM NOTES: TRAX HRD 136 A bit kaleidoscopic in its look, the Fusion is a real head-turner at acute angles for board grabs. Felt like coming home to your when it comes to all-round riding prowess. It’s light but still favourite slippers! TEST TEAM NOTES: weighty enough that you can feel it on your feet when you SUMMARY: What a board for hard charging Cape Town conditions! If you’re jump while the parallel outline helps with driving upwind and is The Fusion is a superb all-rounder and blends a light and lively looking for holding an edge, going fast and sending it for matched with an ample rocker for comfort. Fairly thick ABS rails feeling of speed with control, easy edging and rewarding pop. big boosts, the carbon Trax is a beauty. F-One have a special in the middle thin out dramatically in the tips, so there’s lots of Alwayscomfortable,theFusionneverfeelsoutofcontroloroutof sensation in the rail with their ‘HRD Helical Rail Design’ which comfort and grip in the tail. sorts with the conditions. Yes, you’ll find harder popping, higher offers stacks of grip but is genuinely smooth and fluid. It’s not There is loads going on in the Fusion design and channel topspeedsandquickerplaning–butfor99%ofkiteboardersand a knee burner, but instead provides lots of feel in its traction. configuration. For a carbon board there’s lots of feeling conditions, this is superb. (As a note, we also tried the bigger The carbon keeps the board relatively light (but not as light underfoot and it’s kinder to your knees, tracking easily through 139, and for some reason it felt slower and bit more sluggish, as the Fusion on this spread), but instead seems to be used to chop with no slapping. The fluid grip makes it easy to initiate but this 137 is an absolute gem – so on our recommendation, opt add stiffness and performance to the ride feel. This 136 is a bit turns and transitions and there’s enough pop behind your back for that one). smaller than Chris would choose to ride as his normal board, but foot to create freestyle shapes too, but all the while it’s not KW LIKED: we literally could never get him off the Trax because it carries fatiguing at all. We not only rode this board in Cape Town but Fluid ease-of-use. You can switch your brain off and just have a such a good ride speed but at the same time offers load of also for a solid week in Cape Verde, so we know it really well... and ball on the Fusion. control. You can be maching towards a ramp at 30 knots and it rocks. Whether you’re gouging turns on a wave, unhooking and KW WOULD CHANGE: if you suddenly need to do an evasive move, you can bring the throwing a bit of freestyle or landing a million loops on it – there’s For us, the Union Pro straps are just a bit too technical to set-up Trax to a halt very quickly and calmly. The pick up in speed is enough absorption to be comfortable, but enough response in for comfort – but bear in mind that we swap boards a lot, and we something else, too – and you can soon be travelling at 30 knots performance to propel you nicely forward on landing. have different size and shaped feet, so between two testers it’s again in the other direction. The Fusion could also cross over for boots and particularly quite difficult to keep finding a setting that suits. If this is your The relentless speed and ease-of-control are the standout the tip flex would work well. Commonly you’re looking for a stiff board, it’s unlikely you’ll be sharing it, in which case you can find features and although there’s a lot of rail grip, for a small board for boots, but if a board is stiff and flat it doesn’t work so the magic spot and get excellent locked-in grip. board you don’t feel overly locked in or need to focus too hard well as you’re constantly trying to fight against catching your FUSION BALANCE POINTS: when you want to force the tips out to make a turn. The Trax rail. The stiffer central section combined with good tip flex and Build quality: 8.5 feels like a kiteboard, not a wakeboard and for fast, hooked- generous rocker mean that the Fusion will be a comfortable Fixtures and fittings: 8 in kitesurfing it’s hard to beat. Dive the kite and within an transition into boots. Speed: 7 instant your kite, your board and you are totally in sync and Generally, this isn’t the fastest or grippest freeride board, but Pop: 7 travelling positively as one unit. It just feels good and you it is very easy with loads of good ingredients for a low stress Drive: 7 can do instant handbrake turns, whether on a wave face or to ride that won’t hold you back for pretty much whatever you want Flex: 6 swerve someone. There’s never any delay, it just goes, and then to do. Comfort: 7.5 likes to floor the gas pedal again. It’s always sat at 4,000 revs The Fusion is available with two different footstrap options Looseness: 6.5 and ready to go. – the Union Pro 2 are the more technical design for rigid Grip: 7.5 There are boards that are more comfortable underfoot and support. Covering more of the foot, they have a huge range of Upwind: 7.5 better for a flowing trick style for more unhooking. There is still set-up positions, and you need to spend the time getting that Slider proof: No some suspension in the Trax, but you’re not on a pocket of air, just right for your feet. We found that if you don’t they’re a bit Boots applicable: Yes though you’re certainly not knocking your knees out, either. No uncomfortable, but suddenly when you find the magic setting, Freeriding: 8 complaints about the pad and strap set-up from F-One. You can they’re great, and of course they’ll mould to your feet the more Freestyle: 7.5 adjust the width that the strap is set to and there’s also plenty of you use them. We used the more basic softer single Velcro Ease-of-use: 8.5 angle and stance width options. Good balance between comfort fastening Union Comfort strap most of the time with the simple SIZES: LW152 x 46, LW147 x 44, 144 x 43, 141 x 42, 139 x 41.5, and hold in this relatively simple and straight forward system soft pad and it was lush. Not the tightest and most locked-in 137 x 41, 135 x 40 and 133 x 39cm with enough contouring in the soft pad to get some extra toe feel, but we quite like that for comfort and tweaking your foot www.corekites.com and heel grip. I 103 I

LIEUWE LEN10 OCEANA 137 TEST TEAM NOTES: A special board design for Ruben himself. What business do the light wind performance we’ve seen on test this year. Most people SUMMARY: rest of us have riding it?! We found out... would just like a bit more softness in the tips and then it would You could hold a ship at bay with the edging control and The evident build quality is exceptional and we love that matt become a more approachable board. If you’re a bigger / more grip that the Trax provides. Light and capable of all styles wood finish. Lieuwe have partnered up with Sustainable Surf powerful rider and like to ride in boots but aren’t so worried about of freeride tricks, from fast pop to being tossed around for who helped create the world’s first gold level ECOBOARD through doing lots of unhooked freestyle, you will get a lot out of the Len10. board-offs and inversions, where it really comes into its own is choosing wood from a sustainable source, using greener resin and SUMMARY: if you want to go out scare yourself by achieving your biggest really reducing, reusing and recycling their production waste. This is a grippy, high-speed machine with enough stiffness so it boosts. The Trax isn’t going to let you down and it’s always Ruben exclusively rides in boots but this 137 is designed for won’t bottom out whatever Ruben manages to throw at it. That ready to point and shoot! possible strapped riding. rugged performance makes it too stiff for most people to get KW LIKED: Overall the outline is quite a generic looking freeride / freestyle along with, but there are riders out there who are going to like Sublime grip and driving control at speed. combination. It’s quite straight and has a uniform stiffness the sound of its insanely fast driving speed and grip and it’s KW WOULD CHANGE: throughout the whole board. Most of the boards we test now have actually easier for most people than a highly rockered wakestyle Who wants more fluffy comfort when you’re constantly sending a stiff central section and then more obviously softer tips. The board to ride and jump with. It’s not light... but can stand tall it to the moon? advantage Ruben has with the Oceana is that it gets going fast through armageddon. TRAX BALANCE POINTS: andhitstopspeedalmoststraightawaywithverylittleextrainput KW LIKED: Build quality: 8.5 from the kite needed to hit its natural cruising speed. No messing, the Oceana gets straight up to speed and drives Fixtures and fittings: 8.5 There’s loads of grip! This is one of those boards that just forward powerfully, charging towards the next kicker. It’s easy Speed: 8.5 drives forward straight away. It’s very grippy and takes a decent to see that it’s very ‘Ruben’. Pop: 7.5 amount of effort to switch from your heel-to-toe or to go blind, but KW WOULD CHANGE: Drive: 8.5 the moment you do release it the board automatically switches The speed, grip and drive are brilliant assets in a kiteboard and Flex: 6 around and locks back in again. There’s a super nice locked-in and if Lieuwe developed a version that was a similar shape but with Comfort: 6.5 driveyfeel,butforstrapsitfeelsabitstiffthroughthewholeboard more progressive flex in the tips then more people might be Looseness: 5 for easy pop on your back foot when powering up and over white finding their way towards it. Grip: 8 waterforexample.Chrisuseditforseveralsessionsinbootswhich LEN10 BALANCE POINTS: Upwind: 7.5 makes that side of life easier.Although these boards can be ridden Build quality: 9 Slider proof: No with straps, the Oceana is better suited to the extra purchase you Fixtures and fittings: 7 Boots applicable: No get with boots. The board is very solid and the flex is stiff. Ruben Speed: 8.5 Freeriding: 8.5 clearly puts his money where his mouth is and ‘rides hard’. Pop: 8 Freestyle: 7 Basically, the Oceana is happiest generating speed and Drive: 8.5 Ease-of-use: 8 lots of grip in a straight line, so it’s a rocket ship for jumping. Flex: 4 SIZES: 140 x 45, 137 x 42, 136 x 40.5 and 135 x 39cm Going fast and hitting kickers is awesome, but if you want to Comfort: 4.5 www.f-onekites.com make freestyle shapes, most mortal riders will prefer a bit more Looseness: 4 softness in the tips for more of a reaction when loading it up. Grip: 8.5 Lieuwe make several boards and the closest to this in their Upwind: 9 range would be the Say No More wakestyle board. The Oceana Slider proof: No is quicker, stiffer and more technical but holds way more speed, Boots applicable: Yes grip and drive. The Say No More is far looser and more fluid for Freeriding: 6 freestyle with more feel at the back foot and with a much deeper Freestyle: 7 rocker is better for off-axis landings. Ease-of-use: 6 The Len10 Oceana is too hard on the knees for most freeriders, SIZES: 141 x 41 and 137 x 40cm though it has a lot of great qualities, including probably the best www.lieuweboards.com I 104 / TESTS / NAISH/NOBILE/NORTH I

NAISH MOTION 138 TEST TEAM NOTES: it’s not fatiguing in the air and easy to tweak and bring back The Motion is Naish’s progressive entry-level twin-tip designed into position for landing where the channels offer a decent NOBILE NHP for lots of versatility, from freestyle and freeride through to amount of forgiveness. Again, the Motion gives you a moment SPLIT 138 offering functionality for riding in waves. to set yourself and won’t catch an edge before you’re ready to As a Naish it’s a good looking shape and design with a decent re-engaging your rail. TEST TEAM NOTES: wood core and laminate lay-up that feels strong without being The general dimensions are like a normal board, so if you are Four generations down the line with their W-connection heavy. It’s paired with the outstanding Apex footstrap and pad buying this as your first board, then it’s a good idea to look at technology and, once again, this NHP is a quality product, built set-up – which is widely respected as one of the best designs on the bigger sizes for more low-wind drive. The 138 is very capable to last with a wood core and tough snowboard construction. the market when it comes to performance and comfort. as the wind picks up though and can help you hold steady Since Nobile’s first split board we have always been impressed Although this is one of their more basic boards, Naish have against lots of kite power. The other good point is that the with the quality and strength of the join when it comes to flex added some shape in the base with a small concave and rail Motion definitely doesn’t look like a beginner’s board, so you can strength and comfortable performance. Splitting the board and channel while the outline mixes freeride comfort and elements swagger to the beach with confidence! re-joining it back together is quick and easy with just a pull pin of freestyle width towards the tips for added rail length grip. The SUMMARY: technique. The ‘Kiss’ fins also don’t require a screwdriver to fit detailing is lighter than on their higher performance boards but A great looking entry-level / intermediate board that offers easy as they can be hand screwed with the Kiss tab, as can the foot so too is the price, so if you’re looking for a reliable product made control, especially in windier, choppier conditions. Where more straps, (though we opted for the screwdriver screws for the foot by one of the sport’s leading manufacturers without having to advanced riders will be looking for increased stiffness and pop, straps as we had the option of a screwdriver to hand and there’s shell out top dollar then this is worth considering. improving riders will appreciate the smooth grip, light weight less of a squeeze to turn the screw). The use of the SP Boarding Very steady gearing and outstanding speed control makes handling and flex that’s comfortable without overly damping the ratchet tightening foot straps was a nice touch on the model the Motion very easy to ride. The rail grip feels smooth and ride feel. we tested. They offer only one plane of adjustment over your fluid with a steady tracking sensation, allowing you to easily KW LIKED: foot, but you can adjust them easily with one hand (useful when put pressure on your heels and point upwind while also edging Measured speed with smooth edging and carving control. you’ve got your kite in the air, or while you’re riding on the water). hard when a gust hits which will send the kite to the front of KW WOULD CHANGE: Nobile’s velcro IFS straps are also available, too. the window. Bigger entry-level riders may prefer a flatter, stiffer board to Work has been done on the durability of the connection while The Motion will never run away with you and, although better cover them for basic get up and go in lighter winds. the weight has been further reduced and there’s more stiffness. this isn’t the fastest ship in the galaxy, better riders will also MOTION BALANCE POINTS: This 2018 model is a very complete feeling freeride twin-tip appreciate the grip for either full toe-side carves or an easy Build quality: 8 and in fact it’s the handling that stands out above the obvious switch to toe-side and then a big heel-side hack into a small Fixtures and fittings: 9 practicality first and foremost. wave face. Speed: 6 Tweaks to the concave and tip channels in the base make There’s nothing abrupt about the Motion and all the basics Pop: 6 for a lovely clean bite that works well alongside some decent take a sure instruction to begin the action. So when you flatten Drive: 7 stiffness for performance. The board isn’t overly fast but carries the board off to release your edge and start to put pressure Flex: 7.5 a pleasing natural speed and feels on constant alert. Seemingly on your back foot for a slide turn everything happens at a very Comfort: 8 you’re always at the right pace for what you want to do – whether manageable pace. All this is because the flex is very comfortable, Looseness: 6 it’s carving sharply to pop, or applying a little back foot pressure and while the Motion doesn’t suck up so much kite power that it Grip: 7 to point more upwind while still maintaining drive. No doubt the becomes sluggish upwind, bigger riders might prefer something Upwind: 7 highlights are the connected ride feel and excellent freeride pop a bit stiffer. That’s particularly the case when it comes to Slider proof: No take-off performance. popping. The Motion is very much built for comfort and control, Boots applicable: No Reacting quickly to input the split is mid-weight, so benefits so for tricks when you start to use the kite less and rely on the Freeriding: 8 from a positive swing weight once you’re in the air. Perhaps heavy board’s natural pop, heavier riders will find this harder to get a Freestyle: 6.5 riders will find that the NHP doesn’t drive through landings as lively performance. For boosts using the kite for lift, the Motion Ease-of-use: 8 well some, however the vast majority of people honestly won’t however benefits from the easy rail grip and slick ability to carve SIZES: 142 x 42m 138 x 41.5 and 134 x 41cm even come close to testing the landing limits of this board. cleanly into wind on take-off. The board is also mid-weight, so www.naishkites.com Finally, the asymmetrical design means that the toe-side rail is I 105 I

NORTH SELECT 135 TEST TEAM NOTES: Last issue we tested the North Jaime Textreme and likened it to a Golf GTI: you can drive it to the shops, park it in tight spaces, take care of the day-to-day missions but equally hold sure shorter, so you benefit from a longer heel-side rail for going upwind, round corners and blast comfortably at 120 down the motorway while for carving the toe-side rail requires less exertion through without any wild moments. In terms of the effort need to put your toes to get lots of grip and bite. It’s an absolute joy for carving in for high rewards, it’s right up there. It’s a modern classic. If and benefits from a rocker line that adds easy performance. the Select was a car, it would be something more executive, no SUMMARY: slouch but built for total comfort with a drinks cabinet in the The NHP is super tidy and will be hard for anyone to tell it’s not back to entertain guests and when cornering the grip will be so a one piece board. Coming with a special bag, commuting and smooth that you won’t spill your drinks. airport travel is easy. The 138 feels very tight and tuned. Big In terms of pure freeride quality, the Select is pretty much enough to get going quickly and also manages things easily when as good as it gets. The carbon is obviously well engineered the kite is sending down lots of power. The added benefit of superb to keep the board very light, but doesn’t impact the flex. carving with the more compact toe-side rail is another standout. Although the Select is pretty quick, it’s very comfortable. KW LIKED: The Select doesn’t rev as highly as the Jaime Textreme, it’s The NHP ticks so many boxes and is perfectly paced for not built for 0 – 60 mph records and doesn’t have such tight freeride action. suspension. It’s all about fluidity and great control even in the KW WOULD CHANGE: toughest conditions and comfort. KW LIKED: For frequent heavy landings the carbon model will be worth There’s nothing you can’t do on the Select, but if you’re a Silky smooth ride and masterful control in difficult conditions. trying. However, the NHP split is a freeride board, not a full-on naturallyenergeticormoreexplosiverideryou’llbebettersuited KW WOULD CHANGE: freestyle board. to the Jaime Textreme that has a stiffer popping sensation. The Athletic riders should look towards the Jaime Textreme. NHP SPLIT BALANCE POINTS: Select is less tightly wound but is still capable of load and pop SELECT BALANCE POINTS: Build quality: 8 performance but is less aggressive in feel. If your sessions are Build quality: 8.5 Fixtures and fittings: 7.5 fewer and further between and you want a board that’s super Fixtures and fittings: 9 Speed: 7 easy to ride, is uncomplicated but comfortably capable and Speed: 6 Pop: 7 looks the absolute nuts, then the Select is for you. Pop: 6 Drive: 7 The NTT pads and straps are easily within the top one or two Drive: 6.5 Flex: 6.5 systems on the market for locked-in comfort. A new addition this Flex: 7 Comfort: 7 year are the stud / hole fastenings on the straps, giving loads of Comfort: 8.5 Looseness: 6 adjustment but zero slip once you’ve locked them down. The pads Looseness: 6.5 Grip: 7.5 and straps themselves are incredibly adjustable in terms of strap Grip: 7.5 Upwind: 7.5 width and positioning up and down the foot, while the sliding track Upwind: 7.5 Slider proof: No allows pin point accuracy for your stance width and foot angle. Slider proof: No Boots applicable: No SUMMARY: Boots applicable: No Freeriding: 8.5 Suiting the rider who wants a light weight twin-tip for blasting Freeriding: 8.5 Freestyle: 6.5 around on the weekend when it’s time to let loose, the Select Freestyle: 6 Ease-of-use: 8 is the ideal companion. Untiring, attentive, well mannered, Ease-of-use: 8.5 SIZES: 138 x 43, 134 x 41 and 130 x 39cm obedient and adaptable, it’s always on-hand to flatter your skills SIZES: 141 x 42, 138 x 41, 135 x 40 and 132 x 39cm www.nobilekiteboarding.com when you need it, too. www.northkites.com I 106 / TESTS / SLINGSHOT I

SLINGSHOT MISFIT 142 TEST TEAM NOTES: The flat rocker and details in the channel combine early a bit heavier and stiffer in its ride, but there’s no doubt that it’ll The Misfit has been in the game for as long as we can remember. planing with control and the Misfit is also really easy for sliding get you up and riding as fast as any normal sized board on the Initially a fast, stiff, high-end product, the Misfit remains in the turns when you’re ready to push your back foot out. market without having to opt for a big plank as your first ride. Slingshot empire as their entry-level freeride board. The Misfit makes it possible to buy a relatively small and KW LIKED: It’s not like other common twin-tips though and has compact first board and is ideal for flatter water while the low Bombroof build and easy low end performance in a 142. maintained some of its stiff heritage. It’s also still bomb-proof end performance means that it has a good low end wind range, KW WOULD CHANGE: and after a nuclear holocaust all that will remain are Misfits too. Where it starts to become more technical is in heavy chop A little more flex and rocker would open this up to a wider section scattered around the world in the remains of kiteboarders’ homes. or when you’re riding with more speed and power, at which point of the market looking for a tough, no non-sense option. This year Slingshot’s new Air Core Misfit has a new lightweight more rocker and flex would give you an advantage. The extra MISFIT BALANCE POINTS: material called Koroyd that’s more often found in the highest rocker and tip flex would also aid in a more progressive jumping Build quality: 9 spec bike helmets. Slingshot have employed it in the tip, tail and technique too, but when it comes to getting a short, sharp edge Fixtures and fittings: 8 lengthways underfoot to make this the lightest Misfit ever. for your first jumps, the Misfit works. It’s also not the most Speed: 5.5 That said, this isn’t what we’d class as a super light board, locked-in on landings, but it is forgiving and reduces the chance Pop: 6 but it’s sturdy, robust and a nice mid-weight to make sense for of tripping your rail as it’s steady when ridden flat. Drive: 6.5 beginners / intermediates. The Misfit has always had quite a There’s no doubt that you’ll be up and riding in control, easily Flex: 6 flat rocker, which is why it’s been so good at early planing and getting upwind and slide turning nicely on this really quickly. Comfort: 6 once again the Misfit is flatter than most boards we’ve tested All the fixtures and fittings are very Slingshot and not Looseness: 6 this year. While that makes really choppy conditions more just tough and hard wearing, but whenever they’re designing Grip: 7 challenging, it does of course make early planing in flat water for foot or hand traction, Slingshot’s use of rubber is always Upwind: 8.5 very easy indeed. ergonomically sound and long lasting, whether its on their Slider proof: No Although the ride isn’t necessarily quicker than other boards, control bars or bindings and these Dually pads offer good Boots applicable: No the Misfit is fun because it gives you a good sensation of speed underfoot grip while the arching straps with four-point Freeriding: 8 and it’s not difficult to find grip, even when your edging skills adjustability is soft and smooth. Freestyle: 5 aren’t strong. As the Misfit has a short, straight rail line, it’s SUMMARY: Ease-of-use: 8 (Good for the basics) really easy to engage the full rail and utilise the stiff rocker to The Misfit is a classic and a proven keeper over time. When SIZES: 146, 142 and 136cm pretty much automatically shoot upwind. compared with more recent freeride models it often comes up www.slingshotsports.com E A T - S L E E P - K I T E - R E P E A T®

...Directly on the beach I 108 / TESTS / TAKOON I

TAKOON SOURCE 133 & 136 TEST TEAM NOTES: you should be looking at the 136 or bigger, but if you’re small, for easy access and yet it’s loose enough for comfort and fun Takoon’s most all-round twin-tip is quite a spectacle. You’re not or you ride in strong winds a lot, then the 133 is surprisingly popped trick progression in choppy conditions. Takoon have going to lose sight of it in the sea when you fall off! The wood versatile and we rode it for several sessions without feeling produced a very general all-round twin-tip that offers quite crisp core is nice and visible beyond the colourful top sheet and in restricted because it’s small. The versatile nature of it just performance levels with enough comfort for all-day riding. general this is a well made board that’s available at a budget seems to work regardless. KW LIKED: price. The bonding between the top and bottom sheet is really So what did we like? Well, the Source literally does everything Everything about the Source is about comfort mixed with well done and there are no rough joins anywhere. You may to a good standard. It’s quick and lively but also has a lovely accessible good performance. It does that very well and it’s well recognise the pads and straps as being remarkably similar to looseness to it, so it’s fun without feeling too locked in and fitted out, too. Naish’s, which are easily one of the best designs on the market working your legs really hard. Beginners will probably like a bit KW WOULD CHANGE: in terms of adaptability and comfort. Takoon have obviously used more bite for tracking upwind, but as soon as you start learning The colours won’t be to everyone’s tastes. the same mould, but there’s a bit less detailing in the material your slide turns or want to make choppy conditions feel smooth, SOURCE BALANCE POINTS: finish and the pads are less contoured, but the result is a soft then the Source offers a nice mix of directional ability with loose Build quality: 7 but supportive set-up that should fit all feet with no problem release. It’s actually a very easy board to ride from the first time Fixtures and fittings: 8 areas and skin rub. you get on it. Speed: 6.5 The Source is pleasingly light as a freeride board and There’s plenty of rail grip for carving and the flex is more Pop: 6.5 although it doesn’t have the sort of tough base that you can use suited to a flowing carvey style of riding than an aggressive Drive: 6.5 to ride up a stoney beach very often, it’s robust enough for all the load and pop style. If you’re using your kite for lift, then the Flex: 7.5 usual demands you might throw at it. In terms of the freeride Source is easy to hold a rail in and then carve up into wind on Comfort: 8 spectrum, the Source is bang in the middle, in both ride feel take-off. Also what’s really nice, considering both the price and Looseness: 7 and manufacture. It’s fairly light, pretty well produced and is the intermediate nature of this board, is that there is a pretty Grip: 6 perfectly acceptable. When it comes to the ride it’s a solid all- good feel of performance feedback for your back foot, which is a Upwind: 7 rounder, so beginners, intermediates and advanced riders could very current design trait of the freeride sector’s leading models. Slider proof: No all get on this and have fun straight away. So we were pleased to feel that element in the Source. Boots applicable: No We had the 133 on test for the longest, which ordinarily would SUMMARY: Freeriding: 8 be quite small for us, but given the strong conditions of Cape The Source has enough of everything. It’s fairly quick, offers Freestyle: 6.5 Town, we had plenty of power and actually found the smaller lots of control and is efficient enough to have plenty of drive Ease-of-use: 8.5 size to be nice and manoeuvrable and really easy to hold down without needing to be very stiff. There’s no obvious detailing in SIZES: 146 x 43, 139 x 42, 136 x 41 and 133 x 40cm against a powerful kite pull. Ideally, if you’re 65 kilos and above the deck of the board to shout about, yet there’s plenty of grip www.takoon.com

I 110 / TESTS / NAISH

NAISH SLASH 6M TEST TEAM NOTES: Naish have two kites in their range that are suitable for waveriding really gusty. No matter how much wee s eeted in through the up in thhe centre of the bar, so when doing that against exposed with; the Pivot (which Kevin Langeree happened to win the Kingng of lullslulls, the Slash keptkept driving forwardforward with intent.intent ThatsThat’s great rorope,pe yyou can feel the rub a bit, but when this is your system the Air on earlier this year), and this, the Slash. It’s fairly obvious because when you have a kite that begs to be constantly steered you’ll quickly get used to it and leave a gap. There’s no doubting from that that their difference is in the power generation! back, forth and through a loop you can be steering the kite one the smooth sheeting action of the Naish bar up and down the The Pivot offers more of a mix of sheeting and steering power. or two steps ahead of yourself, and if the kite is sympathetic to rope centre line though; it’s lovely and the bar also packs very The Slash however sits right up there in the upper echelons of over sheeting, then it can only help with the aggression you’re neatly without the stiff plastic coating. fast kites that fly far forward in the window. We tested the six able to put into your turns and the connected performance you’ll SUMMARY: metre in Cape Town and when you’re getting down to that small ride with. The Slash is for the more experienced pure wave rider who is a size, a kite is pretty quick anyway, but the Slash is lightning. The steering response is fast and the bridle allows a medium looking for a super quick ninja-like ally for waves. Very much suiting We always appreciate a fast wave kite, but it has to be level of direct feel and feedback. The Slash is very pivotal, so strapless riders, there’s such good depower management and balanced and it shouldn’t just get to the edge of the window so you can spin it and shift its position in the window quickly and a smooth pull no matter how hard you steer the kite across the fast that it loses steering control. The Slash is super responsive easily without affecting your balance on the board. That’s always window that’s matched with pinpoint accuracy and a very pivotal, so you can really rip it across the window but, like many fast useful for kiting because often you need to correct your position low power loop. All that adds up to one of the joypad / computer wave kites, it’s best in its low to mid range when you’re riding it when you’ve come off the top and ended up too far in front of game-like wave kites that’s really engaging to fly and follow. at its optimum with no trimming pulled on and all lines perfectly the wave, so a swift downloop can shift your kite back in the KW LIKED: set. There’s a lovely light, balanced feel at the bar and the Slash window and give you just enough drive to get back onto the wave Fast forward flight sensations. has really quick air speed and likes to be steered fast, but when face. We must say though, that for a flighty kite, the Slash is KW WOULD CHANGE: you’re really powered up it can lose some smoothness across the also quite happy to drift if you can set it up right, especially in First time wave riders will find that the speed and pace across top of the window, though that’s quite normal for a quick kite. windy conditions. the window will take some getting used to. As mentioned the low end on the six metre is good because Naish’s Quad tex canopy cloth is clearly strong and the canopy SLASH BALANCE POINTS: the power generation through movement is also very efficient. rigidity of the Dash is further enhanced by a new closing thread Build quality: 8.5 Matt is over 90 kilos and in awfully gusty conditions was able to seam on the leading edge which allows you to pump the kite up Full package: 8.5 use the Slash to good effect to get going in what were averaging for all your worth to get an ultimately solid frame. Naish have also Low end: 8 top end of an eight metre / mid-range seven metre conditions, introduced ‘Bladderlock’ that allows you to lock the bladder in Top end: 7.5 which shows the Slash’s ability to generate good apparent wind place by using the Velcro patch in the end of the bladder sleeve, Steering speed: 8.5 in the hands of a good kite flier. preventing the bladder moving around when you inflate, deflate Turning circle: 3 And it’s good kite fliers that the Slash will suit. The depower and roll up your kite. The thin leading edge is the final confirmation Bar pressure: 5 is also instant and highly effective but, as we’ve said of Naish of the fast flight intent that the Slash is built with. Water relaunch: 8 kites in the past, there’s good feeling and progressive response At the bar there’s an easy reach trimming cleat while below- Drift: 8 all the way up the throw. So although the power can come on and the-bar the chicken-loop is a rigid, hard wearing plastic and set Boost: DT off quickly when you demand it by being aggressive at the bar, at a wide circular shape, so very easy to hook into again if you Hang-time: DT the Slash can also deliver smooth turns and handling, so that unhook. The release and re-set of the safety is in the top few Unhooked: DT dynamic range of handling is a good option for different size and models in terms of smoothness and simplicity and the swivel Cross-over: 6 (Speed, handing, forward drive and depower can be weights of rider, as long as they’re capable of tuning into a nice, above the chicken-loop is equally matched in terms of high end good for foiling) quick kite. user-experience. Ease-of-use: 7 (If you’re used to a fast kite, then you’ll love it: 9) We also tested the back-stall tendencies to the max towards As we test a lot of gear, we do tend to notice when a centre SIZES: 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4m the end of our Cape Town trip when some of the sessions were line isn’t covered in plastic as we get used to butting our hands www.naishkites.com I 111 I

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SLINGSHOT SST 6M TEST TEAM NOTES: What do we like about Slingshot? Well, they always just do things their own way, and it’s usually pretty different. You won’t currently find a wave-inspired kite like the SST. SST in this year’s King of Air. A wave kite! But we can see why. bar). The grip is at the firm and grippy end of the spectrum and Primarily geared to ride on slightly shorter lines (20 metres It holds a good chunk of power at its top end and that lower feels very durable. The moulded bar ends and EVA floats give it – though the standard 20’’ bar comes with three metre line aspect shape is solid, so when mixed with a constant turn Sam a polished, yet refreshingly simple feel and, as usual, Slingshot extensions to give you more power, better low end and more knew that whatever else he was doing as a loop combination, have their ‘Oh Shit’ safety handles on the end of the outside lines jumping height), the SST is one of the deepest sitting wave kites the kite would go round. Sure, it didn’t provide the biggest for last resort peace of mind. on the market. Most current designs are all about fast forward sideways yank, but the shapes he was making were as smooth SUMMARY: flight, edge of the window performance and light, fast handling. and controlled as you like. A slightly shorter line and lower profile combination in the SST The low aspect shape combined with the deeper window What’s really nice, whether on the foil or in waves, is that the makes this one of the most planted and pure plug-and-play wave / position makes the SST incredibly stable. The steering feels SST holds its position very steadily, whatever you’re doing at the cross-over kites out there. The auto-pilot, set-and-forget quality is direct while the condensed version of IRS bungee bridle that bar. So if you sheet out, the kite doesn’t shoot to the edge of high and thanks to the short lines and ultra-stable kite design you Slingshot use on the RPM also takes great effect here on the the window. You get depower, but it remains stable in a more can also adapt to a fast back-and-forth aggressive style of riding, SST to help the kite soak up gusts while the kite maintains its powered part of the window, so when you sheet in, the power’s too in its low to mid range. The SST is also particularly good as a deeper, more powerful position in the window. there in an instant. For sheeting drive on a more downwind tack freeride foiling ally. A super fun small kite for lots of applications. As a wave tool it’s reactive but excels for a set-and-forget it’s really nice and easy on the foil and that drifting ability means KW LIKED: style of riding with good drift capabilities and positive pull. you don’t need to steer the kite as much to get it to stay with Very direct control and auto-pilot handling. There’s lots of shut-off depower at the bar because you you because the SST doesn’t suffer from slack lining as much as KW WOULD CHANGE: don’t have to steer the kite as much, you can stay close and some kites when you carve downwind towards the pull. Although the SST is quick to react, some riders will prefer an connected with the wave. It takes some confidence as a board Match it with a non race foil and this is lovely. Being easy, overall faster, higher-aspect kite that penetrates the front of rider to build up that tighter turning style, but the SST allows constant and with moderate air speed it compliments the ride the window more. for that development. feel; just what you want. In waves, the SST requires a slightly SST BALANCE POINTS: The SST’s handling characteristics also came to the fore different technique to some of the other kites, but it’s beautiful Build quality: 9 while foiling. It was outstandingly good. The wind was really up, in its low to mid range in cross-shore conditions or for a park and Full package: 9 down and gusty and as we were riding along we could see the SST ride style. Where this deeper aspect kite reaches its limits and Low end: 8 dropping back, then flying forwards and repositioning itself, but becomes less comfortable is at its top end. But the SST has good Top end: 7 we felt no jerk. It’s like it could auto stabilise itself and gave us low end, so you can get on a small kite early and get cranking. Steering speed: 7.5 a really smooth ride. The construction is typically Slingshot and as tough as they Turning circle: 5 That stability also helped it when looping through a turn. come. As always expect Slingshot’s own One Pump system with Bar pressure: 5 Either really tight or wide the SST remains constant and even the simple twist connection that attaches directly to the pump Water relaunch: 9 if you sheet out, the drive remains consistent, which is a huge hose for a super efficient and air tight seal for easy inflation. Drift: 8.5 asset when you’re carving a downwind gybe on a foil. So often The Compstick bar is one of our favourites for build and Boost: DT you’ll send the kite round a loop on a high depower kite and it its compact size. You could run over it with a truck and not Hang-time: DT will drop the power, whereas actually what you need for a smooth damage it. The quick release works extremely well and is one Unhooked: 6.5 turn is a constant, smooth pull all the way round. The SST is so of the easiest systems on the market to put back together. The Cross-over: 8 (Freeride / foiling / waves) good at that. It’s so reliable you can take your eyes off it and above-the-bar Sentinel trim is smooth, easy to operate and has a Ease-of-use: 8 know that it’s going to continue doing its job. magnetic retainer for the rope. The below-the-bar line spinner is SIZES: 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4m As a side note you may have noticed that Sam Light used an excellent (there isn’t one on the below-the-bar trimming option www.slingshotsports.com I 112 / TESTS / NORTH I

NORTH PRO WAM 5’8’’ BY MATT PEARCE TEST NOTES: Session used to be. It’s popular because it’s right in the middle. This is a strong opener, but I’ve not ridden a board with this wide Bridging the gap between long arcing turns on an open face and a level of application in a long time. Whether I was in decent low a tight pivotal top turn, the Wam can be as useful in small crumbly wind surf or shoddy blown out conditions, I really enjoyed it. My surf as it is a weapon for clean head high faces and beyond. girlfriend also made progress in her first surfboard sessions The Pro Wam isn’t as unforgiving as North’s top end pro model too, finding it easier than others she subsequently tried for last year which needed more accurate rail weighting all the time. comfortable and efficient riding as well as fairly flowing first My girlfriend is an experienced twin-tip rider but a novice on carving turns. surfboards. She too found it really stable with a nice mix between Indeed the first thing I noticed was how well it eats up chop. obvious get up and go as well as a useful ability to hold a rail in Designer Sky Solbach says that he takes his surfboards out against the kite’s power. There aren’t many top level boards that and just tries to ride them as fast as he can in the choppiest a full pro team shred on that are also stable enough for a novice conditions he can find to see how they feel. That seems to work to find their way on, though there are obviously easier boards for as although the Pro Wam is used by North’s pro team, it’s not a beginners to ride and wobble round their gybes on. jittery ride at all and the cork pad seems to take the abruptness Will buying these high-end ultra-light surfboards really out of the impacts, too. translate to noticeable performance gains? Well, we’d like Though it is a production board, the Pro Wam has the feel of to believe so which is why we’re allured to shell out for them! SUMMARY: a custom and is lively and light. You can spy a collapsing bit of But I’d say regarding the Pro Wam (having ridden the cheaper The Pro Wam rides as well as it looks good. This 5’8’’ blends lovely shorebreak, hit it at pace and edge up nicely for a smooth take- construction boards in Tarifa) the positives are immediately speed handling with pleasing and easy amounts of drive around off. As it is so playable you can move it around mid-jump, turn it apparent in the comfort, feel underfoot and performance that its carves. Beautifully balanced between your front and back into the wind and scoop your tail out with your back foot and it comes out of having the more expensive option. Also, the price foot also makes it really playful. Light enough to feel lively and feels easy to shift around with the wind and makes you feel good. difference between this and the more basic construction is fairly quick and yet won’t crack and dent if you’re overly robust with While the Pro Wam has surf-inspired looks this is a negligible in terms of the upgrade in product. The carbon beam your landings or handling. performance kitesurf board - not a surfboard for kiting. It’s and carbon net give it the look and feel of a high performance KW LIKED: faster, more responsive and holds as much power as you can surfboard that’s been bolstered for directional riding. Relatively forgiving handling gives access to higher and higher carry into a bottom turn without scrubbing out but, importantly, It’s hard to say how durable it is long term as I only rode it levels of performance the better you get. it’s very easy to break the fins free and then you can snap for a month, but I go to each GKA Kite-Surf World Tour event and KW WOULD CHANGE: back onto your rail and you’re back in the game. The speed I’ve only seen one of these boards broken since last summer, and It’s a classic all-round shape that does exactly what it says on management is beautiful and you can really express different that was by James Carew who’s a big unit. I’ve personally had the the tin, but if you’re a bigger novice, you will find it quite tippy shapes in your top turn, but not in a loose, soulful surfy feel like 2016 PRO CSC for three years now and it’s not showing any signs and will benefit from a flatter, more stable platform. the Airush Comp that we rode last issue for example. It’s also of cracking or buckling either - and I’m over 90 kilos - so we can SIZES: 6’0’’ x 18’’, 5’10’’ x 18’’ and 5’8’’ x 18’’ nowhere near as locked in as a more gunny shape like the Pro hopefully assume this is just as tough. www.northkiteboarding.com

I 114 / TESTS / TAKOON I

TAKOON BURNING 5’10’’ BY JIM GAUNT TEST NOTES: really influence it and crank some seriously fast and hard turns. The sandy coloured material look gives the Burning an earthy It’s also light underfoot and yet feels solid, so it’s going to feel feel. The Flax used to create that is a natural linen material used right when it comes to windy boosting, too. to reduce the amount of glassing needed while still having a The pad deserves mention, especially for strapless as it’s one positive effect on the board’s strength-to-weight ratio. Indeed of the most simple and quite thin three-quarter deck pads, but the Burning is very light and yet also doesn’t have that hollow there’s no foot-slipping at all and it minimises the sensation loss and super-fragile feel that some surfboards do. that you feel underfoot when riding with a pad. That grip and The Burning is only available in this 5’10’’ size and it’s pretty connection adds to the manoeuvrability you can get from the thin and narrow, though Takoon state that it has a moderate board at the top of a wave. The Burning is snappy anyway and not volume of 24.7 litres, it feels a bit more sinky than that, though. difficult to throw the tail out, but the added feel and grip from All the Burning’s dimensions add up to being a fast, the pad further aids that sensation. targeted high-power, high speed wave weapon, and it is. It’s As this is quite a straight, narrow shape with thin rails it is fast and likes burning rail-to-rail. There’s a stiff feel to the quite tippy when you’re feathering your way out over white water board that definitely helps it plane earlier than it might as and needs some good foot placement and a light touch for tacks a narrow, thin-railed board though this is a harsher ride feel and gybes, so suits lighter / better riders. Also, if you’ve drifted than the Wam this issue. Most sessions I had the Burning out out in front of the wave and lost a bit of kite power too, it’s not in were when the wind was just filling in, which is always the the most forgiving shape so takes a bit of know-how and balance nicest time for waves in Cape Town and I found that if you’re to re-power the kite and whip yourself back into position before used to moving your kite around to generate power then the the board drops off the plane too much. Burning was pretty easy to get going and it doesn’t feel boggy SUMMARY: once you’re planing and rewards better technique. As a relatively light rider at 70 kilos, I had three really enjoyable It’s definitely playable and I looked forward to sessions on sessions on the Burning and it suited the riding that’s often the Burning because I’m the smallest rider in the team at 70 called for in Cape Town, hacking quick, hard turns in the tight kilos. This board likes carving back and forth and the straighter, sections before they close out and also helps you to manage KW LIKED: narrower rails than we’re seeing in many all-round boards at the your kite’s power well, too. The Burning does feel narrow in terms Super tight turns mixed with a playable, loose feel at the top of moment makes it really easy to do tight and hacky turns in the of balance, but therefore also requires less leg and body work a wave. pocket. On a good wave the Burning responds well to wave power to influence the board when going rail-to-rail. The offset of that KW WOULD CHANGE: and as it turns tightly you can easily stay in the section. This is that it offers less natural drive to carry you around longer Bigger riders will find this a bit too tippy, but it’s more of a board is ideally suited to managing some power from the kite sections. Quite knife-like in its handling therefore, the Burning is performance carving shape anyway, so if you’re learning to gybe, though as it sits fairly deeply in the water and the thin rails are also going to suit strapped riders looking for a carving machine look elsewhere. perfect for easy grip without having to work too hard yourself. for rough and windy conditions. Again from Takoon, you’ll be SIZES: 5’10’’ x 18 4/13’’ The Burning would also be fantastic fun in straps as you can kitesurfing happily for a great price. www.takoon-family.com

I 116 / TESTS / HERVÉ BOURÉ I

HB SURFKITE LEGACY HARNESS

ervé Bouré was amongst the early pack of French ThebenefitoftheHBLegacyisthat the hook works with every testing that’s great, when we’re regularly swapping one kite for kitesurfing pioneers who then took kitesurfing legitimately chicken-loop, unlike the Cabrinha Fireball system for which you another), but the fit is really comfortable, we had no rubbing Hinto the waves. He was also twice a wave World Champion need to upgrade to an NP harness hook. The Cabrinha Fireball at all (and we’re all quite differently sized – including Matt’s and now continues to push forward with his brand HB Surfkite, is incredibly smooth – but obviously requires a full conversion girlfriend Kate who was also riding kites with us) and although it which is dedicated to strapless riding. to Cabrinha. doesn’t give your chicken-loop as much wide ranging movement In a time when harnesses are seemingly becoming more paired There are also benefits for the HB when compared to a rope across your body, there is enough to make a positive difference down and minimal, the Legacy harness is one of the most cushy harness. The first is that you can unhook if you want to. The and we never resented wearing this and not having a sliding rope harnesses we’ve ridden recently. While it’s still quite compact, second is that you don’t need to trigger your chicken-loop’s set-up. it’s a little deeper than the really low profile harnesses on the quick release and re-set it around the rope on your spreader bar If you’re already using a sliding rope spreader bar and have market right now, and where those can feel rigid, the Legacy is every time you go out riding. The third is that the hook doesn’t got use to the vast movement you get from that and are fully like wrapping a fluffy cloud around your waist. Remember the HB create a wear point on your chicken-loop from the rope on focused on hooked-in wave riding, it’s unlikely you’re going to products are built with strapless riding in mind, so there’s no need a sliding spreader bar if you’re not using a metal ring to stop prefer this HB Legacy. Although the hook is great for crossing for the super locked and tight support of a harness built for when that happening. The fourth is the way the spreader bar cushions over into unhooked wave riding or unhooked freestyle, we you want to boost huge all the time. However, this soft comfort the load across the front of the harness and allows the hook to wouldn’t advise constant big boosty jumps as essentially this is isn’t the main calling card of the Legacy... simply do the rotating, making a really comfortable experience still a rope based harness hook. and there’s no riding up of the spreader bar at all. So really, the HB for us is about great practicality, more IT HAS A BENDY HOOK! One thing to note is that there is rope inside the moulded than enough movement for most people and a generic fit that The ‘3D’ hook system features a moulded rubber coating over an rubber outer layer. We know that the rope on rope slider spreader felt good for all our body shapes, including Kate’s lady hips. It’s inner rope to provide a hook that is tensioned to always return bars does wear and need replacing from time to time, and as this relatively thick, so isn’t the fastest drying harness, but who to its regular central position when not under pressure. Moving HB harness is still new, there may come some wear on that rope really cares about that? It’s very comfortable and supportive with the pull from your chicken-loop, it smoothly rotates around too – but the rubber on the one that we used every day in Cape with a soft neoprene layer around the edge, so if you want to a full 360 degrees, giving your torso good freedom of movement. Town still looks great. wear it against your skin, there will be no problem. There’s a The feel of the pull is very similar to Cabrinha’s Fireball – The 3D HB hook doesn’t match up to the total range of decent four point tightening system to get a snug fit while the a design which uses a ball and socket to attach the harness to smooth free movement you feel from a sliding rope spreader, handy push button release means it’s super quick to get on and the chicken-loop, not only bringing the centre of effort closer to but it’s definitely an improvement on using a fixed hook in waves off. Finally, of course, it looks awesome in red and black with the your body to help with balance, but you also get that 360 degree when it comes to how much easy and fluid torso movement you little French flag as a finishing touch. of smooth rotation wherever the pull is coming from. Essentially can enjoy. We had this harness for two months in Cape Town Nice to see something that’s genuinely different, well you don’t feel like the kite is just shackled to one rigid point in and one of us was always choosing to ride it. It mixes the good thought out and makes a positive difference to your riding. front of your body. convenience of not having to re-set a chicken-loop (so for our www.hb-surfkite.com

I 118 / TESTS / MANERA I

MANERA METEOR X10D 4/3MM BY: JIM GAUNT TEST NOTES New suits aren’t quite as exciting as new boards and kites as a purchase, but they can make you feel good. When it comes to a wetsuit, first and foremost the fit has to be good. If there are any slack or baggy areas, you’re going to feel the cold. Fit is of course places. You can even feel it suckinng into your down to whether your personal shape is one that is catered for lower back! There’s obvious attention to detail by a manufacturer, and I’ve often met riders who swear by one inside and out, especially in the crease lines brand and their mates just can’t find the same fit and appeal and stress areas that can further contribute to in the range. your comfort, such as the Knee Emboss panels My first reaction when I received this Manera X10D for test behind the knees for example that provide was that it wasn’t thick enough for the cold waters of Cape Town. smoother flexibility. I had to re-read the label and double check because it didn’t feel The manoeuvrability is superior. I didn’t use it for surfing, but like a 4/3. It was thin to the touch and very smooth and supple. the flexibility makes it feel like you’re wearing less rubber, which flexible suit I’ve worn. Though it isn’t the most toasty 4/3 in the I could feel body parts shrinking already. is always a pleasing feel when paddling. world, it was plenty warm enough for Cape Town and the deep What I realised when I put it on is that this is hands down The knee pads are hard wearing and all the gluing and blue and orange I felt was a good combination. the most flexible suit I’ve ever worn. I like my Patagonia suit, stitching is very clean. It doesn’t feel like the most robust suit SIZES: XXL, XL, L, ML, M, S and XS it’s super hard wearing and I feel good that it’s greener than in the world, but I’ve worn it a lot now and not been particularly THICKNESSES: As a full suit, the X10D is available as a most, but it’s much more of a struggle to get on than this careful about pulling it over my head or pushing my feet through 5/4/3, a 4/3 and a 3/2mm. Also available as a long arm 3/2 shorty X10D. You literally just pop yourself in and out of the Manera in the ankle cuffs. Surely over time it will lose a bit of elasticity, or a full 2/2 shorty. a jiffy and the elasticity of the rubber hugs you in all the right but a couple of months in this is still the most comfortable and www.manera.com Winner of iDEA Just

Award 2018 Develop iT ENTERPRiZE

www.kitesuring.lk I 120 / RESORT REPORT / GOLF DE ROSES I

Port de a Selva Photo: Jordi Renart / Arxiu Images

RESORT REPORT #1: GOLF DE ROSES, COSTA BRAVA MARKING THE START OF SUMMER AND THE CHANCE OF A QUICK AND NON-BUDGET-BREAKING TRIP TO SOME HOT-FUN KITING, WE HIGHLIGHT TWO EXCELLENT OPTIONS IN SPAIN AND ITALY THAT MIGHT HAVE OTHERWISE SLIPPED UNDER YOUR RADAR. MOST PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT TARIFA IN SOUTHERN ANDALUCIA, BUT THERE’S ANOTHER KITEBOARDING HOTSPOT IN SPAIN’S NORTHERN REGION OF COSTA BRAVA THAT SHOULD ALSO BE ON YOUR RADAR - THE GOLF DE ROSES! KITEWORLD’S MATT PEARCE REPORTS I 121 I

“IF YOU’RE INTO OUTDOOR ANTICS THEN YOU’LL FIND LOTS TO KEEP YOU BUSY AND MANY PEOPLE TRAVEL TO THIS REGION TO DO SPORTS OTHER THAN KITING.” The beauty from the air! Photo: Mike Burdon / Arxiu Images Lessons for all the family in the accessible conditions ust a 45 minute drive from the French border, the Golf de Roses time, although it’s not the kind of chunky rolling swell you Photo: ION Club is in the Girona Province of Catalonia, an area of real natural might experience in the Atlantic. You can also score some fun Jbeauty where the river Fluvià flows into the Golf de Roses at the wave riding conditions in the early and late season (spring and end of its journey from the Serralada Transversa mountains. autumn) with easy, hittable chest-high onshore waves. This region offers up a very different kite trip experience You won’t get the kind of hefty swells that Southern Spain will to Spain’s premiere kite spot, Tarifa. The conditions are more often experience in the winter months this far north up Spain’s relaxed than Tarifa can be when the Levante bears its teeth, the Mediterranean coast, but you can still get some good days and crowds are certainly a lot less packed and the vibe off the water these more gentle conditions are ideal for those who are new to is entirely different with more of a lean towards family-based, wave riding. The softer, accessible surf is also great if you want low key evenings spent enjoying the local wine and fantastic to rack up a morning SUP or longboard session before the wind Catalonian cuisine. fills in. This area isn’t as well known among international kiting There are plenty of places to launch from around the north circles as Tarifa (which is by no means a bad thing), but it still of the bay alongside some good places to chill out with bars has a solid reputation and Airush launched their new product and cafes close to the main launch areas. Most of the year you south, but the onshore winds are very reliable, averaging around ranges here for several years because of the reliable summer can kite pretty much wherever you want, but in the high-season 15 knots. Even on a lighter forecast a thermal effect stirred up by conditions. The crew at AlpineFoil regularly shoot their new you’re limited to three official kiting zones as the beaches get the foothills of the nearby mountain ranges means you can still catalogues at the beaches around the Costa Brava due to the popular with holiday makers. expect at least a few hours of rideable wind (14-18 knots) from steady winds and picturesque mountain backdrops, while North There’s one zone outside the ION Club at the southern end the early afternoon onwards on most summer days. International pro rider and wakestyle savant, Noé Font, is also of the bay, which is split between beginners and independent The occasional all-dayer comes through with winds of up to from the area and can be regularly seen out on the water in kiters, and two more designated areas to the north of the bay 25 knots and above and some of the strongest winds can be had between Kite Park League events. closer to Campsite la Gaviota on the edge of town. Roughly a 15 outside of the summer season when the Tramontana winds blow minute drive north of Sant Pere Pescador there’s another zone down from the north (this spot is less then three hours from the THE KITING in the resort town of Empuriabrava, where you’ll also find the famous world cup spot of Leucate in the south of France, that’s The kiting happens on a seven kilometre long beach where steady largest residential marina in the world. famed for its strong conditions). cross-onshore winds blow for much of the year with no currents The Tramontana changes the dynamic a little bit around the and little to no shore break, making this a very beginner friendly THE CONDITIONS Golf de Roses as that’s when you get wind from the left. If that destination. The wind blows predominantly from the right and The summer months of May to September are the best time lines up with a bit of swell for some kickers then you’re laughing the best place to ride is at the north end of the bay where the to head to the Costa Brava. Conditions are ideal for freeriders, and if you visit in April / May or late September / October then you wind is cleanest, but it’s pretty steady wherever you go. beginners and improving intermediates as this area doesn’t can be pretty sure of finding the place almost entirely crowd-free Bump and jump chop is the order of the day much of the often get the kind of 40+ knot blowout days you might get down as well. I 122 / RESORT REPORT / GOLF DE ROSES I

Sant Pere Pescador Photo: Arxiu Images

PRACTICALITIES GETTING THERE: Girona Costa Brava (GNA) is the closest airport at 60 kilometres / 50 minutes by car and many European airlines fly there (Ryanair refer to it as Barcelona-Girona). Barcelona (BCN) is a 155 kilometre / 90 minute drive away and Perpignan– Rivesaltes Airport (PGF) is around an hour’s drive away. GETTING AROUND: You can hire a car at any of the nearby airports and it’s worth doing, although there are some basic bus services in the area. ACCOMMODATION: Choose from self-catered accommodation to hotels of all standards, from cheap and cheerful one stars to four and five star joints. Campsites are also a popular option and the Ballena Alegre is a good one! www.ballena-alegre.com TRAVEL AGENT: ION Club operate a centre near the Ballena Alegre campsite. www.ion-club.net GEAR AND LESSONS: If you’re looking to get some gear while you’re in the area, then Kite Experience run a well stocked shop rightby thebeachwithgearfromAirushandNorthandalsooffer a range of foils, surf and SUP gear (available for hire). They also do lessons for all levels. www.kiteexperience.com Salvador Dali Theatre and Museum in Figueres Noé Font punt Photo: Arxiu Images Photo: Santi Font “EVEN ON A LIGHTER FORECAST, A THERMAL EFFECT STIRRED UP BY THE FOOTHILLS OF THE NEARBY MOUNTAIN RANGES MEANS YOU CAN STILL EXPECT AT LEAST A FEW HOURS OF RIDEABLE WIND FROM THE EARLY AFTERNOON ONWARDS.”

If you’ve got a bigger kite and / or a foil then you’ll be able to get out for regular sessions at most times throughout the year and the obstacle free waters of the bay make this an ideal place for working on your foiling skills. Summer air temperatures are typically Mediterranean at 30 - 35°C / 86 - 95°F and 20°C / 68°F in the water so you won’t really need a wetsuit at all in-season (although a light suit will keep off the windchill later in the day). Pack a spring suit in the low season months though and perhaps even a 4mm in the autumn / early winter when air temperatures average 15°C / 60°F. At that time than kiting. The Catalan Pyrenees, one of the most popular For more hustle and bustle head to Figueres, 45 minutes of year it’s not uncommon to see locals walking around in down regions in the world for hill walking, mountain biking and away, while Barcelona can be reached in under three hours by jackets in this part of Spain (they’re used to glorious weather climbing is within two hour’s drive and there are numerous car, or less by train. The French border is very close by, so why after all) but a jacket or hoody around then will usually do. mountain ranges that are closer still. You can even take a day not visit the picturesque, historic city of Perpignan? Remaining trip to Andorra (three hours - and you might even be able to in Spain, the city of Girona is growing in popularity as a cultural OFF THE WATER squeeze in a springtime / autumnal ski or snowboard session hotspot without the mass crowds of Barcelona and is just 45 Wind is never a guarantee wherever you go and although the depending on the time of year). minutes away. summer winds are reliable for this region of the Costa Brava, You can also rent quad bikes or bicycles in Sant Pere and In terms of accommodation in and around Sant Pere Pescador there’s still plenty to do when there’s no wind. The town is flanked explore the trails around town and there’s an indoor wind tunnel you can find anything from self-catered rural properties to by nature reserves, the closest being the Cap de Creus Natural where you can simulate skydiving in Empuriabrava (without deluxe villas, while at the north and south ends of the Golf Park and the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà. This region is quite the inherent risk of death). For combat thrills, there’s a nearby de Roses there are four and five star hotels. Campsites are a different to southern regions of Spain and Portugal with far more paintball range. popular option and there are a few around that are very well set greenery, thriving wetlands and some lush forests to explore. An abundance of less rigorous activities include vineyard up. Many of them have decent restaurants, onsite supermarkets If you’re into outdoor antics then you’ll find lots to keep you tours or horse riding and the local food is highly acclaimed, with and some also rent out cabins if you’re not in a camper van and busy and many people travel to this region to do sports other signature Catalonian meats, cheeses and freshly caught seafood. aren’t into the idea of nights under canvas. KW Photo: Alexandru Baranescu / KTA Media www.lip-sunglasses.com s¬!VAILABLE¬IN¬¬&RAME¬#OLOURS¬AND¬¬,ENS¬4ONES s¬$OUBLE¬6ORTEX¬!NTI &OGGING¬,ENS¬6ENTING¬3YSTEM s¬&AILSAFE¬3ILICONE¬.ECKLACE¬¬#LIP /N¬3AFETY¬,EASH s¬(YDROPHOBIC¬¬/LEOPHOBIC¬,ENS¬#OATINGS s¬3HOCK¬!BSORBING¬405¬2UBBER s¬42¬&LEXIBLE¬,IGHTWEIGHT¬&RAME s¬0OLYCARBONATE¬0OLARISED¬ "ASE¬,ENSES¬"Y¬:%)33 @LiPSunglasses Model Pictured: Typhoon CLXGlossWhite /GunBluelenses LPSnlse @LiP_Sunglasses @LiP_Sunglasses AVAILABLE RX

LiP Team Rider Lewis Crathern - Pranburi, Thailand - March 2018 I 124 / RESORT REPORT / SICILY I

Island style Photo: Laci Kobulsky / ProKite

RESORT REPORT: LO STAGNONE, SICILY OVER RECENT YEARS LO STAGNONE IN SICILY HAS STEADILY GAINED RENOWN AS A LEADING EUROPEAN SUMMER KITING DESTINATION. THE LAGOON IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST EXPANSES OF FLAT-WATER WE’VE EVER SEEN AND IT’S GOT A REPUTATION FOR BEING AN ULTRA-PROGRESSION FRIENDLY LOCATION. IMPROVING KITER SZILVIA BOLYKI DECIDED TO CHECK IT OUT FOR HERSELF LAST SUMMER WORDS: SZILVIA BOLYKI

ysister,herhusbandandIwantedtogoonakitingholiday Kite Beach is the main launch spot and is lined with kite of ice) and there’s usually plenty of crowd-free space to explore. together somewhere that all three of us could improve schools, all of which have their own landing / launching areas, Bear in mind though though the wind usually drops out at Mour skills. My sister and I were already comfortably riding compressors and freshwater hoses for cleaning your gear off. around sunset in Stagnone and kiters sometimes get caught out upwind and attempting our first jumps, while my brother-in-law Most offer gear rental and many of them accommodation, too. there when they’ve pushed their session until too late. You can was trying his first tricks, so we were looking for somewhere we I work for the travel agent Planet Kitesurf and we’re partnered always walk back, but who wants to wade through a lagoon in could log some serious water time and make real progress. with Prokite Alby Rondinha who have a well equipped centre the dark with their gear? Better to play it safe and head for shore We’d already agreed on going somewhere in Europe so, having within the hotel grounds. (and a beer) when the sun starts to go down. already recently visited Greece and with a ten day slot in August The beach itself is quite rough, covered with dry, spiky grass pencilled into our diaries, we’d narrowed it down to a choice and tiny stones but the landing areas are carpeted to protect THE KITING between Tarifa, the Canary Islands and Sicily. Some friends had your kites and the schools are aiming to get that whole area As improving freeriders the lagoon was great for our riding recommended Lo Stagnone and it sounded awesome, so we got grassed over. The lagoon bottom itself is soft and silty with levels and the flat water and steady winds also make it ideal for in touch with a kite school there, booked an apartment and we nothing that will easily cut your feet, so you don’t need to wear freestylers. Due to the shallow water and lack of shore break, were off. booties (unless you have an issue with getting a bit of mud the instructors can keep their students within 200-300 metres Upon arrival it was clear that the lagoon in Lo Stagnone is between your toes at the water’s edge!). of the beach, leaving plenty of space for intermediates and pros everything we could have hoped for. Perfectly flat, the water is The soft bottom is something of a blessing too if you end up to practice a bit further out. shallow and the sideshore wind blows at an average of 15 to 20 walking back to shore and you can do that from anywhere around You can kite anywhere you like in the lagoon (and there’s a knots from the northwest, hitting the main beach from the right. Lo Stagnone as the water is never more than waist-deep. There’s a lot of space to choose from), but we spent most of our time on Although it can come in from other directions too - and you can small island in the middle of the lagoon, which is technically the the main beach side where we were regularly kiting for five hours still kite when it does - the northwesterly however is the most edge of the designated learner / beginner area. There you’ll find a day or more, stopping only for ‘cappuccino con crema’ breaks reliable (and prevailing) wind angle. butter-flat water in the lee of the island (seriously - it’s like a sheet before getting back out there. I 125 I

“UPON ARRIVAL IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE LAGOON IN LO STAGNONE IS EVERYTHING WE COULD HAVE HOPED FOR. PERFECTLY FLAT, THE WATER IS SHALLOW AND THE SIDESHORE WIND BLOWS AT AN AVERAGE OF 15 TO 20 KNOTS FROM THE NORTHWEST.” Session til sunset... but no later! Photo: Laci Kobulsky / ProKite Alby demonstrating the buttery nature Photo: Laci Kobulsky / ProKite

There’s no aggro out on the water as space is plentiful, so there’s no reason to be crossing paths with other kiters. You can even foil in some areas of the lagoon, but not everywhere, and the only people who’ll feel a little unfulfilled here are wave riders (note - there are wave spots elsewhere on the island). A cruise around the lagoon’s island is not to be missed either. The water is super flat and you’ll hear nothing but the wind and your board slicing through the water. It was a highlight of our trip! THE CONDITIONS The season runs from May to September with air temperatures from 20°C / 68°F to 28°C / 82°F. Lo Stagnone enjoys around 300 days of wind a year but it’s most reliable during those summer months. We visited in mid-August and enjoyed fantastic sunny weather and no rain at all. We kited all day in stable 20 knots “AS IMPROVING FREERIDERS THE LAGOON WAS GREAT FOR OUR RIDING LEVELS AND on the first couple of days and the flat water gave us a great THE FLAT WATER AND STEADY WINDS ALSO MAKE IT IDEAL FOR FREESTYLERS.” opportunity to get the feel for edging our boards and working on upwind angles. I 126 / RESORT REPORT / SICILY I

Writer’s eye view!

“OF COURSE THE LEGENDARY FOOD IN SICILY IS ABSOLUTELY UNREAL AND LIVES UP TO ITS NAME. PACE YOURSELF THOUGH, THE COURSES COME THICK AND FAST!”

Although shallow, the bed is soft and there are some deeper areas to keep the foil crew happy Lagoon expanse Photo: Laci Kobulsky / ProKite Photo: Laci Kobulsky / ProKite

We had similarly solid conditions later in the week after a If you like two wheeled action, the mountain biking is world PRACTICALITIES couple of days of light, foil-able wind and my sister and I learnt class with well cultivated trails in the north of the island and GETTING THERE: Palermo (PMO) is just an hour away with our first jumps, tried riding toe-side, worked on our sliding some impressive mountainous terrain to explore - including the numerous international connections. Trapani (TPS) is just ten turns and logged hours of kite handling practice. We made so famous, active Mount Etna volcano. It’s also well-worth visiting minutes transfer time and a number of economy airlines fly much progress as the week went on while my brother-in-law was the nearby islands of Mozia or Favignana and checking out there from Europe. landing his first back rolls and raleys while getting increasingly the ‘salinas’ (salt pans) at the edge of the lagoon for a bit of a GETTING AROUND: Hire a bike at ProKite or a car from the comfortable doing bigger and bigger jumps. cultural experience. airports. Scooter rental is also a good option for an authentic The water temperature ranges from 20°C / 68°F to 26°C / 79°F Theislandisripeforexploringwithpicturesquetownstovisit Sicilian experience! throughout the season so you don’t need anything more than a up in the hills, some of which featured in the The Godfather film, ACCOMMODATION: Airbnb’s are plentiful and very reasonably rash vest most of the time and when it’s that nice and warm you so I’d recommend at least hiring a car for a few days. priced and there are hotels and apartments close to the spot. feel even more comfortable to try new things. Of course the legendary food in Sicily is absolutely unreal and TRAVEL AGENT: Planet Kitesurf work with the ProKite Alby You can also apparently score some great kiting outside the lives up to its name. Pace yourself though, the courses come Rondina centre and can take care of your every need during your season, but you’ll need a thin wetsuit for those times. thick and fast! stay in Lo Stagnone. KW WINDLESS DAYS THE FINAL WORD The wind was solid during our first two days in Lo Stagnone and We had an amazing trip to Lo Stagnone. The spot and the also later on in our trip, but we ran into some windless days in conditions perfectly suited our riding level and it’s an easy between. After deliberating about whether or not we should going, typically Mediterranean spot that’s ideal for beginners leave the beach and risk missing the wind, we went off to explore to advanced riders. The region’s growing popularity means you and were so glad we did. can go there on your own and still have plenty of fellow kiters to One of the Prokite instructors showed us the Pizzeria Calvino hang out with, but it’s also great if you’re travelling with families in nearby Trapani with a lovely little wine shop called Tenute or a non-kiting partner who wants to relax in fantastic weather. Adragna. We also went up north to visit the azure beach at San Although the spot is still comparatively new, the kite schools Vito lo Capo. We enjoyed a romantic dinner at Castellammare del are very engaged in trying to improve the practical facilities, so Golfo too (or at least my sister and brother in-law did, but I’m we’re looking forward to heading back and checking it out in a sure they appreciated me being there!). few years time! There are plenty of other active things to do, such as SUPing around the lagoon, there’s a wakeboarding centre near When she’s not on holiday, Szilvia also works for Planet Kitesurf, Palermo and you can also find your way to some surf spots a leading kite-travel operator that offers kite trips to every corner around the island. of the globe: www.planetkitesurfholidays.com Holiday team

I 130 / TECHNIQUE / COACHING I WE DON’T YET KNOW WHAT WE DON’T KNOW THE VALUE OF BEING COACHED KW ASSOCIATE EDITOR MATT PEARCE HAS BEEN EITHER DOING OR COACHING COMPETITIVE SPORT MOST OF HIS LIFE. THIS ISSUE, HE LOOKS AT HOW GETTING COACHED CAN HELP YOU UNLOCK LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE THAT YOU NEVER KNEW WERE THERE WORDS: MATT PEARCE

had my first coach when I was just seven. He was a grizzly, The irony is that since I became a kite instructor at 21, and bearded former US Marine, a veteran of the Vietnam war and having gone on to do other coaching jobs after that in the fitness Ia man not to be trifled with. Frankly, I have no idea what he world, the value of having a kite coach never really sunk in until was doing coaching a kid’s swim team in northeast England in recently. I’d been under their pupilage of most of my coaches the mid-90s but there he was and he was no joke. because I felt I had to be - not because I really understood the I was a bit scared of him, but he was a straight talker. value of it. Sometimes I felt he could have sugared the pill when detailing However, that all changed at the tail end of last year. You see, just how flawed my butterfly stroke was (I was only seven and my other passion, besides kitesurfing, is long distance running. what is the point of that stroke anyway?) but he was relentlessly I take part in mountain races and ‘ultramarathons’ of up to 100 committed to pointing out the holes in our game and his advice miles and have found I have a basic aptitude for it. The longer stuck. As I got older, and as more coaches came and went, his the distance, the more it comes down to stubborn doggedness pointers about technique remained engrained in my memory and than athletic ability or talent, and that plays to my strengths. I was a better swimmer for it. Although I’ve been running for several years and it’s hardly Flash forward 22 years and I’ve been extensively coached the most complex of sports, I began to realise there was in various sporting and professional endeavours ever since. something I was missing in my training. From marking my opposite number in rugby to marksmanship I would go out and run, covering many miles, but was I doing with a rifle, a steady stream of instructors have picked apart it properly? Was I running fast when I should have run slowly and my failings as a sportsman, a rifleman and, indeed, even as a was I running on hills when I should have run on the flats? With human. Their coaching styles have varied, but they’ve all had the another 100 miler coming up, I decided it was time to outsource aim of making me better than I was the day before. That’s what that decision making to somebody who knew better. I reached coaches do. out to a well-known running coach in the Lake District, a man

with far more experience of hill-bound misery than I, and he agreed to knock me into shape. Within a few weeks, I’d quite drastically overhauled the way I’d been training and was making progress. I’m not a total rookie and had a reasonable grasp on what I was doing but, the key point is that I didn’t know what I didn’t know about my chosen sport and THAT was where the performance gains came from. So how does this relate to the kiting realm? Most of us were coached in the early stages of our kiting career and a recent poll carried out by the guys at Progression found that 72% of kiters learnt to kite with an instructor. However, once up and riding, many of us prefer to learn new tricks and moves on our own (perhaps with a little bit of YouTube tutoring along the way) instead of getting the help of a coach. I’ve personally never been coached as a kiter in any way. I taught myself all I know (for what it’s worth) so I know why you might have dismissed, or perhaps never even considered, Tom Court dishing out some key tips during his Slice of Life clinics in Brazil getting some tuition to further your riding. I also think I may Photo: KiteWorldWide have ripostes to any objections you may have to the idea, too! I 131 I

“COACHING STYLES HAVE VARIED, BUT THEY’VE ALL HAD THE AIM OF MAKING ME BETTER THAN I WAS THE DAY BEFORE. THAT’S WHAT COACHES DO.”

Keahi de Aboitiz runs through a demo on his clinic in Brazil Photo: Surfin Sem Fim

Here’s how you might be thinking: Tom Court or a similarly experienced freestyle coach on hand to then I guess it’s one way of ensuring you’ll get the absolute most 1: You’re already doing okay. You kite on weekends and tell me to hold on to the bar just that bit longer. I’d have saved out of your time on the water. whenever you have free time, you’re making progress myself hours of frustration and would have spared my poor kites One way you could look at this is that every session costs you from session to session and you don’t feel the need to from being slammed into the water / beach time after time. something in terms of money or effort. That includes the cost spend money on somebody teaching you when you can 3: You’re already having fun. Is it possible to have more of getting to the beach, the wear and tear on your gear or the learn yourself. fun? And could a coach really make that happen or would amount of flack you’re about to get from your boss for turning on Of course you’re doing okay! If you’re out kiting then you’re it all be a bit serious? your out-of-office email reply and slyly going kiting. You want to already winning. But what if you could be doing even better? Even This comes down to the person coaching you. If my old swim get the greatest return on that investment possible, and you’ll though you’re progressing now, perhaps learning new tricks or trainer is running your clinic (I’ve not seen him in over 20 years get that when you’re hitting each session with the heightened riding harder in bigger waves, there will still be elements of your - he may have since branched out into other sports) then you’re awareness of your own riding that you’ll get after a professional riding that you’ve not yet considered that an experienced coach in for a hard time, but what could be more fun than a cool, coach has helped you break down and rebuild your kite-game. will pick up on straight away. It can be something as innocuous happening pro shredder giving you pointers on how to improve as foot positioning in your bottom turn, but the difference it can and, in the process, making you a better rider? make to your riding when somebody points it out is undeniable. 4: Coaching costs money and you’d rather not spend it. 2: You’re learning enough as it is anyway. Why hurry The financial issue is a fair one. This old kiting habit of ours isn’t the process? necessarily a cheap one after all. If you do have expendable Coaching isn’t about hurrying the process, it’s about cash though, then I suppose it comes down to how highly streamlining it. If I look back to eight years ago when I was you prioritise kiting in your life. I’m not about to suggest you Reno Romeu and his clinic crew trying to stick my first low mobes (they were fashionable then) should put going to a coaching clinic ahead of your mortgage on an Iron Man downwinder in Brazil I didn’t really know what I was doing wrong. Imagine if I’d had repayments, but if you’re able to spend money on some coaching Photo: Bruna Arcangelo / Surfin Sem Fim I 132 / TECHNIQUE / COACHING I

“EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE PROGRESSING NOW, PERHAPS LEARNING NEW TRICKS OR RIDING HARDER IN BIGGER WAVES, THERE WILL STILL BE ELEMENTS OF YOUR RIDING THAT YOU’VE NOT YET CONSIDERED THAT AN EXPERIENCED COACH WILL PICK UP ON STRAIGHT AWAY.”

Key tips will quickly improve your game Court in the act Stoke levels will rise! Photo: Surfin Sem Fim Photo: KiteWorldWide Photo: Surfin Sem Fim

YEARNING FOR SOME LEARNING? Get in touch with your local school / shop who may also TOM COURT runs his Slice of Life clinics in conjunction with ION CLUB run coaching clinics throughout the year. This year, specialise in higher level coaching and will certainly have some KiteWorldWide. You’ll experience the life of a pro rider and 3 x Wave World Champion Kirsty Jones will be running the KJ valuable advice for intermediate improvers. If, however, you everything that entails! You’ll kite all day while Tom coaches and Experience wave riding and yoga clinics in Dakhla, Morocco with want the glamour of pro-rider tuition, here are a few examples films you in group or private sessions and then you’ll be able to dates available right through until October. of international coaching clinics that you can get stuck in to: watch your performances on video to see how you’ve improved! www.ion-club.net There’s usually some pretty solid parties along the way and Tom PROGRESSION have been at the forefront of the digital kite- and KWW have clinics coming up this year in Morocco, Sri Lanka JALOU LANGEREE AND MOONA WHYTE, the top two ranked tuition experience since the start. They’re now also running and Brazil: female wave riders in the world, are running their Ladies Only foil coaching clinics for total beginner to advanced foilers. This www.kiteworldwide.com Surf Camp this summer in Cabarete from 23rd - 25th July. If you’re summer they’ll be doing clinics throughout Europe and the UK a lady who wants to rip the waves harder and you’d like to do just and they’re actively involved in developing the first ever BKSA foil PLANET KITESURF have a range of clinics for all levels, ranging that with other likeminded women, then this could be for you! coaching program in conjunction with the BKSA. Find their full from twin-tip progression and wave technique through to www.unchartedkitesessions.com 2018 schedule on their site: hydrofoiling. Destinations include Portugal, Dakhla, the Maldives, www.progression.me Tarifa, Turkey, Sri Lanka and Brazil. A particular highlight is that SURFIN SEM FIM run a seemingly endless number of coached Planet have also teamed up with the Progression Live team to clinics and downwind adventures throughout the year. They REO STEVENS is one of the original strapless chargers and this run a unique intermediate foiling camp at Viana do Castelo in offer wave coaching clinics for all levels of riders in Brazil, South Patagonia Ambassador and Hawaii native now offers bespoke Portugal from 8 - 15th September. America, South Africa and Hawaii and they’re led by some of the coaching courses in the wave paradise of the Marshall Islands www.planetkitesurfholidays.com/guided-trips top wave riders in the world, including Mitu Monteiro and Willow- in the South Pacific. He’ll help you fine-tune your wave riding River Tonkin! (and surfing if the wind’s light) and coach you up to bonafide www.surfinsemfim.com.br KW strapless-shredder status: FREESTYLE TOUR SKEGNESS - May 19/20th

Other Dates: SOUTH CENTRAL - Hayling - June 22-24th SOUTH WEST - Westward Ho! - July 14/15th SOUTH EAST - Ramsgate - August 18/19th I 134 / COLUMN / SENSI BILIA I SENSI-BILIA SOME OF THE MOST LIMITING FACTORS TO OUR “BY VISUALISING HOW THE TRICK OWN PROGRESSION COME FROM WITHIN. IN THIS LOOKS AND HOW YOUR BODY IS GOING ISSUE COLUMNIST SENSI GRAVES GIVES SOME TIPS TO LOOK AND FEEL AS YOU DO IT YOU ON HOW TO OVERCOME THE MENTAL NOISE AND START FIRING THE NECESSARY NERVE BOOST YOUR LEVELS PATHWAYS IN YOUR BRAIN. YOU LAY DOWN THE BASIS FOR MAKING THE TRICK HAPPEN. WHAT THE MIND BELIEVES, THE BODY ACHIEVES.”

Sensi rocks, but she doesn’t need you to tell her that, she knows it!

WORDS: SENSI GRAVES PHOTOS: VINCENT BERGERON / LIQUID FORCE

ur common goals as kiteboarders are to find freedom, experience adrenaline and have fun. Sometimes we may Ohowever get caught up in what other riders are doing or berating ourselves for our own shortcomings, which can affect our enjoyment. Why do we get so caught up in all this negativity? Ego. Our ego is a powerful thing and, with the prevalence of social media and the interconnectedness of the kiteboarding community, our egos are in a constant state of comparison as they strive to outshine one another. The ability to peer into one another’s lives can create the innate feeling of not being good enough. It’s one of the greatest faults with our connected world. Competition is healthy, but objurgating ourselves is not. Pushing forward in the face of limiting negative self-talk is a challenge and that negativity comes from how we perceive ourselves. I’ve outlined a few issues / scenarios that I’ve experienced many times that’ll help you reduce the noise and Mentally, she’s in the good place focus on your progression. yourself. That’s going to make you even less likely to succeed. attract and, if you can take time to visualise the completion of SCENARIO: FRUSTRATION The solution is to take a breather and visualise. You’ll never your trick, you may find you attract more success. This is the We’ve all seen this. A rider is trying to learn a new trick and after land something if you don’t believe you can and our minds are first step towards successfully landing something new. each failed attempt gets more and more frustrated. Annoyance powerful things that can often hinder our progress when they By visualising how the trick looks and how your body is going turns to irritability which can in turn descend into full-on yelling get stuck in a negative loop. to look and feel as you do it you start firing the necessary nerve and screaming. Other riders look on and glance at each other; First off, if frustration rears its head then go in and take a pathways in your brain. You lay down the basis for making the grimaces and head shakes are exchanged. It’s so easy to get break. When you’re back on the shore, take some time to breathe trick happen. What the mind believes, the body achieves. hung up on trying to land a trick and, when it’s not happening, a deeply and release the pent up negative energy and frustration. You can utilise this method for anything. I use it to imagine spiral of negative emotion and irritation can often follow. You’ll soon start to feel ready to revisit the trick anew. landing new kicker and slider hits and I also rely on it to get myself The problem here is that negative feelings are starting to This is when visualisation comes in and it’s a tactic commonly ready during competitions. Whatever your own kiteboarding goals, cloud your head and at this point you may be starting to doubt used by top athletes in many sports. What you focus on you you can utilise this practice to get yourself there.

I 136 / COLUMN / SENSI BILIA I

“IMAGINE EVERYTHING THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THE RUN-UP TO NAILING YOUR NEW TRICK. PICTURE SETTING UP ON THE BEACH AT YOUR LOCAL SPOT. IMAGINE FEELING THE WIND ON YOUR SKIN AND RUNNING OUT YOUR LINES AS THE EXCITEMENT BUILDS. FEEL THE SAND UNDER YOUR TOES AND START PUTTING YOURSELF IN THE MOMENT. VISUALISE RIDING OUT AS YOU PREPARE TO MAKE YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT.” Mixing it up in foot straps and boots can keep you feeling fresh HERE’S THE BASIC OUTLINE OF HOW SCENARIO: COMPARING YOURSELF SCENARIO: LACK OF SELF-BELIEF TO VISUALISE: WITH OTHERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA You’re negative about yourself - to yourself. Negative self-talk is a 01: Try to relax. You can be seated or standing, in a quiet or noisy You see your friend or a pro rider somewhere exotic on social huge hindrance to progression. While being humble is an admirable place, but it has to be somewhere you can achieve a sense media and start to feel jealous or like their life is more rad than trait, there comes a point when being too hard on yourself or too of relative calm. yours. Social media allows us a glimpse into our friends’ and humble is actually holding you back. ‘I can’t do that’ or ‘I didn’t do 02: Think about what you’re trying to achieve. This is the only idols’ lives (it’s usually the ‘highlight reel’ I should add) and quite that well today’ are things we often tell ourselves, either in our own thing you’re going to focus on. often we’ll subconsciously end up comparing our own situations heads or when talking to fellow kiters. 03: Imagine everything that’s going to happen on the run-up to to what we’re seeing on screen. That creates an idea that you’re In short, if you don’t think you’re good enough then you nailing your new trick. Picture setting up on the beach at your never quite good enough or doing enough, and that perhaps the never will be, but you can cultivate self-belief by telling yourself local spot. Imagine feeling the wind on your skin and running place you are isn’t all that great. that you ARE good enough. Being humble is a good thing, but if out your lines as the excitement builds. Feel the sand under The solution is to stop the noise and drown out the FOMO by you do it to the point that you have no belief in your abilities, your toes and start putting yourself in the moment. Visualise cutting down your social media intake. You don’t have to quit then it’s time to start admitting to yourself that you’re actually riding out as you prepare to make your first attempt. it entirely and go and live alone in the woods, but the below quite good. You may not have the best back roll in the biz, but if 04: Here comes the fun part: mentally setting yourself up for the pointers might help: you can acknowledge that it’s okay and that you’re pushing to trick. Imagine perfect conditions and walk yourself through 01: Become aware of how often you’re habitually picking up your improve then it’s all good! every part of the trick as if you’ve just done it flawlessly. Think phone and just opening Instagram or Facebook. Begin to Also, practice gratitude for the fact that you even get to kite about every part of it in-depth, from the take-off to the landing. notice how often you do this - awareness is the first step in and all the other good stuff in your life! Make a habit of taking As you take off the water, visualise exactly how your body looks stopping the addiction. a few minutes each day, perhaps when you wake up, to list the throughout the move, what you’ll need to be doing and where 02: Once you start to notice how much time you’re spending on things you’re thankful for in your head. Do that, and you’ll be your kite is. Picture the trick in its entirety a few times over. social media, start to notice how it makes you feel. Are you brimming with positive energy by the time you hit the water. Imagine yourself in the trick and also looking at it from an jealous of someone’s life or comparing your kite skills to theirs outsider’s perspective. As you complete it in your mind, imagine when you peruse their profile? Do you feel negative afterwards? POSITIVE SEND-OFF! coming out cleanly, stomping your landing and riding away. 03: Noticing and acknowledging those feelings will give you Hopefully these inner-tools and methods combined with learning 05: Spend about 10-15 minutes doing this and go through the perspective on how you actually want to feel and you can how to categorise and sort the immense amount of information move a few times. then take steps to change it. that we ingest every day, will set you on a more focused, The idea is to really immerse yourself in the imagined moment Personally, I try (TRY) not to spend a lot of time on social media empathetic and enlightened path so that you can become the and engage your senses. Do it daily and tailor it to your needs. but I still get caught up in it occasionally. Recently, my good best kiteboarder you can be! If you’re a wave rider, imagine barrels, if you’re going for your friend Colleen Carroll was on a cable trip in Thailand that I had first ten metre jump then imagine going for broke and seeing desperately wanted to go on, but it just didn’t work out. At first Sensi Graves has been a pro rider since 2012 and specialises in that WOO score light up your phone’s screen afterwards. I was a bit bummed out by the epic times I was seeing on her competing on the Kite Park League. She also runs her own bikini Insta feed and was getting caught up in wishing I was out there, line at: www.sensigravesbikinis.com and is sponsored by Liquid so I made a conscious decision to stop looking. At first it can be Force and Ride Engine KW hard, but I guarantee that you’ll find more peace and fulfilment by living in the moment. #loveallsurfall #accessyourpotential » KITE BOOK #tricktionary » HARDCOVER - 424 PAGES » For EVERY level

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TWINTIP SUPREME SUP EDITION We ship worldwide! Inquiries from shops & schools welcome! web: tricktionary.com [email protected] I 138 / TECHNIQUE / MOTOR DRIVE I

MOVE: INVERTED BACK ROLL GRAB STEVEN AKKERSDIJK RUNS YOU THROUGH A SUPER STYLISH UPGRADE TO A HOOKED-IN BACK ROLL

here are many variations to tricks. Even though this is just a Hold on to the grab, extend your back leg and enjoy the back roll, you get such a different spinning sensation when rotation while looking at the nose of the board. When you see Tadding this grab that it feels like an entirely different trick. the horizon popping up from behind your board, next comes the You need to be coming into this trick with plenty of speed moment to spot your landing. to get good pop, but you must be in control. If you don’t have Depending on your speed of rotation you have a few options enough speed, you won’t be able to get your body into the fully to stick the landing: if you’re under rotating you can hold on to inverted rotation. the grab and keep your body small and tucked in (this will speed As for any popped hooked-in rotation, start by sending your up your rotation). If you feel like you’re over rotating (like I am in kite up a little to 11 or 1 o’clock in the window. this picture). You can let go of the board and try to extend your Move your front hand to the centre of the bar to reduce body as tall as possible (this will slow down your rotation). unwanted steering when you take your back hand off. When approaching your landing it’s important to bend the As you pop, take your back hand off the bar and reach for the knees a little so you can absorb the impact and point the board nose of the board. Pull your front leg in and bend forward to grab towards the pull of the kite. Don’t try to land on your rail straight the board and initiate the rotation. away as it will catch and throw you off. Instead, land with the board flatter, control your speed and then re-engage your rail. I 139 I

PHOTOS: José Denis-Robichaud SEQUENCE MORPH: Ydwer van der Heide

COMMON MISTAKES: If you’re not getting an inverted rotation, take-off more vertically by diving down to the front or toeside of your board on the take-off. If you’re over-rotating on the landing, or having to land toeside, then try to remember that this is a popped trick, so don’t send your kite up too much, otherwise you won’t have such control over your rotation. Work on your pure pop skills and rotation. If you’re crashing the kite in the water then you must be pulling too hard on your front hand, which through most of the trick will be the only hand you have on the bar. Smaller kites are especially responsive, so to reduce unwanted steering you can try to put the power lines between the index and middle finger of your front hand for better control.

Steven rides for Core, Carved and Mystic. You can find more technique content in the videos that we’ve worked with him on for The Kite Show: www.thekiteshow.tv or through the free Kite Show apps KW KITEWORLD WORLDWIDE SCHOOLS & SHOPS DIRECTORY EVEN MORE LISTINGS AT WWW.KITEWORLDMAG.COM

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18 17 SCHOOLS 19 THE AMERICAS

1 ADVENTURE KITEBOARDING 10 TRON X Muskego, Wisconsin Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico [email protected] [email protected] +1 414-367-9283 +52 (322) 108 9292 www.adventurekiteboarding.com www.tronx.mx

2 KITEFORCE 11 EXOTIKITE KITEBOARDING SCHOOL 1 4 Montreal, Quebec Baja, Sur Mexico 2 [email protected] [email protected] 5 +15146913314 +521 624 165 2612 8 7 6 www.kite-force.com www.exotikite.com 3 3 HATTERAS ISLAND SURF & SAILING 12 KGB KITEBOARDING Waves, NC Baja Mexico & California [email protected] [email protected] +1 252 987 2292 +1 888 411 0732 www.hatterasislandsurfshop.com www.kgbswag.com

4 KITTY HAWK KITES 13 COME KITE WITH US Nag’s Head, Hatteras El Cuyo, Yucatan, Mexico [email protected] [email protected] +1 252 441 0265 +1 347 4072 588 www.kittyhawk.com www.comekitewithus.com SHOPS www.khkiteboarding.com 14 WINDANCE 5 GOOD BREEZE KITEBOARDING Hood River, Oregon THE AMERICAS Cocoa Beach, Florida [email protected] [email protected] +1 800 574 4020 +1 321-252-5483 www.windance.com 1 KITEFORCE 6 TKS MIAMI 11 LIVE2KITE www.goodbreezekiteboarding.com Montreal, Quebec Miami Florida Larkspur, California www.kiteboardingcloseouts.com 15 AQUA SPORTS MAUI [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii +15146913314 +1 (305) 646.1681 / +1 415-924-9463 6 MIAMI KITEBOARDING [email protected] www.kite-force.com +1 (305) 397.8282 www.live2kite.com Miami, Florida +18082428015 www.tksmiami.com [email protected] www.mauikiteboardinglessons.com 2 SILENT SPORTS 12 2ND WIND SPORTS +1 305 345 9974 Ontario, Canada 7 PROKITE SOUTH PADRE Hood River, Oregon www.miamikiteboarding.com 16 KITEBOARDING SCHOOL OF MAUI [email protected] South Padre Island TX [email protected] Kahului, Maui, Hawaii +1 905 889 3772 & Hood River +1 541 386 4464 7 TKS MIAMI [email protected] www.silentsports.com +1 541-490-6872 www.2ndwind-sports.com Miami Florida +1 808 873 0015 +1 855-774-5483 [email protected] www.ksmaui.com 3 WIND SPIRIT, [email protected] 13 HAWAIIN WATERSPORTS +1 (305) 646.1681 Québec, Canada www.prokitesouthpadre.com Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii +1 (305) 397.8282 17 MANGO KITE CLUB +1 450 796 3142 [email protected] www.tksmiami.com Icaraizinho, Brazil +1 866 666 9463 8 TRON X +1 808 262 5483 [email protected] [email protected] Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico www.hawaiianwatersports.com 8 361 KITE +55 85 98703 2820 www.windspirit-direct.com [email protected] Corpus Christi, TX www.villamango.com.br +52 (322) 108 9292 [email protected] 4 MOTOR CITY www.tronx.mx +1 361 742 7966 18 KITESTROPHIK Kiteboarding School www.361kite.com Jericoacoara, Brazil Great Lakes, USA 9 KGB KITEBOARDING [email protected] [email protected] Baja Mexico & California 9 PROKITE SOUTH PADRE +55 88 9929 9339 +1 586 943 5172 [email protected] South Padre Island TX & Hood River www.kitestrophik.com www.motorcitykiteboarding.com +1 888 411 0732 +1 541-490-6872 www.kgbswag.com +1 855-774-5483 19 DURO BEACH KITE CENTER 5 321 KITEBOARDING [email protected] Cumbuco, Brazil Cocoa Beach Florida 10 AMPED BOARD SPORTS www.prokitesouthpadre.com [email protected] [email protected] Solana Beach, CA +85 3318 7442 + 1 321-302-5663 [email protected] www.durobeach.com www.321kiteboarding.com +1 858 481 9283 www.ampedboardsports.com 1 ION CLUB FUERTEVENTURA 5 HANG LOOSE BEACH 9 KITE EXPERIENCE 13 KITE BREEZE 17 GRIFFES KITEFLEX 21 MB PRO CENTER Risco del Paso, Fuerteventura Calabria, Italy Sant Pere Pecasdor, Spain Athens, Greece Limassol, Cyprus Porto Pollo, Sardinia [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] +30 60 4201 6807 [email protected] +39 3389511693 +34 637 374 275 www.kitebreeze.com +357 99618448 +39 0789 704206 +34 667 796 688 www.hangloosebeach.it www.kiteexperience.com www.kitesurfingcyprus.org www.procenter.it +49 (0)881 9254 960 14 ION CLUB GOLF DE ROSES 6 CLUB VELICO CROTONE 10 KOOK PROOF Golf de Roses, Spain 18 WET WATERSPORTS 22 SKYHIGH www.ion-club.net Crotone, Italy Esposende, Portugal [email protected] Tarifa, Spain Porto Botte, Sardina 2 ANDY’S KITE SHOP [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Goldau, Switzerland +39 0962 20852 +351 93 999 00 70 +34 687 455 182 +34 956 68 16 68 +39 342 359 4676 +49 (0)881 9254 960 [email protected] +39 347 575 0450 www.kookproof.com www.ion-club.net www.wet-tarifa.com +48 608 599 399 +41793417888 www.clubvelicocrotone.it 11 RENE EGLI 19 KITEZONE www.skyhigh.pl www.kite-shop.ch 15 ION CLUB TARIFA 7 KANELA SAILING Playa Sotavento, Tarifa, Spain Amsterdam, Holland 23 PROKITE ALBY RONDINA 3 EXTREME ALGARVE SchoolAndalusia Fuerteventura, Canary Islands [email protected] [email protected] Lo Stagnone, Sicily Algarve, Portugal [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] +31 681 155 990 [email protected] [email protected] +34 661 72 69 93 +34 928 547 483 +34 619 340 913 www.kitezone.nl +39 347 537 3881 31 +49 (0)881 9254 960 00351 918 674 079 www.kanela.net www.rene-egli.com www.ion-club.net 20 HORIZON SURFING CENTER www.prokitealbyrondina.com www.extremealgarve.com 8 KITE LOOP 7 Mastichari,Kos,Greece 4 FLAG BEACH KITESURF CENTRE, Ada Bojana, Montenegro 16 LENGUAVENTURA [email protected] Tarifa, Spain Fuerteventura, Canary Islands [email protected] 12 SURF CLUB KEROS +30 6934 597 125 [email protected] [email protected] +382 69 629 864 Keros Beach, Kalliopiinfo@ www.horizonsurfing.com +34 928 866 389 / +381 64 172 9033 +34 956 689 084 surfclubkeros.gr+30 694 298 www.lenguaventura.com +44 (0)871 711 5036 www.kiteloop.net 2102www.surfclubkeros.gr www.flagbeach.com EUROPE 24 23

6 3 ALANKUDA KITE SCHOOL 5 VAYU MANNAR 8 WINDSWELL KITESURFING Dolphin Beach Resort, Mannar, Sri Lanka Port Douglas, Four Mile Beach Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka [email protected] Far North Queensland, Aus. 3 5 [email protected] +94 77 368 6235 [email protected] 9 +94777-723–272 www.kitesurfingmannar.com +61 427 498 042 4 www.kitesurfing.lk www.windswell.com.au 1 2 6 KITEBOARDING CHINA 1 KITESURFING LANKA 4 MARGARITA KITE SCHOOL Sanya, Hainan Island, China. 9 SOURCE KITEBOARDING Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka Kalpitiya / Sri Lanka www.kiteboardingchina.com Malibu, Mui Ne, Vietnam 9 [email protected] [email protected] +86-898-66603322 [email protected] 10 +94 77 3686235 +34 691 705 523 / +94 713 987 114 [email protected] +84 (0)93 319 26 75 www.kitesurfinglanka.com www.margarita-village.com www.sourcekiteboarding.com 25 7 LES AILES CO LTD, FUKUI-KEN 2 DE SILVA WINDRESORT Sakai-Shi Mikuni-Machi, Japan Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka [email protected] 30 [email protected] 8 + 81 (0)776 82 0971 29 +94 777 047 817 / +94 324 934 076 www.lesailes.jp 26 www.surfschool-srilanka.com ASIA & AUSTRALASIA 28 27

3 KITEBOARDING BONAIRE 5 KITESURFING ARUBA 7 CARIBBEAN KITE CRUISE THE CARIBBEAN Windhoek, Bonaire Fisherman’s Hut, Aruba Union Island, The Grenadines [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] +599 701 5483 +297 733 1515 +1 784 530 0600 1 ARUBA KITESURFING SCHOOL 2 BIG BLUE UNLIMITED +599 777 5483 www.kitesurfingaruba.com www.caribbeankitecruise.com Palm Beach, Noord Turks & Caicos Islands www.kiteboardingbonaire.com [email protected] [email protected] 6 ION CLUB CABARETE 8 THE REEF KITE & SURF +297 731 4398 +1 649 946 5034 4 COCHE KITE SPORTS Cabarete, Dominican Republic Sandy Beach, Vieux Fort, St Lucia ww.arubakitesurfingschool.com www.bigblueunlimited.com Isla de Coche, Venezuela [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] +1 758 454 3418 +58 (0)414 794 2133 +1 809 603 77 20 / 49 (0)881 9254 960 www.stluciakitesurfing.com www.cochekitesports.com www.ion-club.net

1 BOARD & KITE AFRICA 8 VANHUNKS BOARDING 14 ION CLUB DAKHLA 20 TOMMY FRIEDL PROCENTER 27 ION CLUB MAURITIUS Kiteboarding Shop & School Table View, Cape Town Dakhla, Morocco Marsa Alam, Egypt Le Morne, Mauritius Bloubergstrand, Cape Town [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.ionclubmauritius.com [email protected] +27 21 556 4398 [email protected] +20 102 008 8166 [email protected] [email protected] www.vanhunksboarding.com +212 (0) 648 770 844 / +49 (0)881 www.tommy-friedl.com [email protected] +27 (0)21 556 2765 9 SURFESCAPE VILLAGE 9254 960 21 7BFT KITEHOUSE +230 5 718 5058 / +49 (0)881 9254 960 www.boardandkiteafrica.com Pwani Mchangani, Zanzibar www.ion-club.net Soma Bay, Red Sea, Egypt www.ion-club.net 2 CABRINHA SOUTH AFRICA +255 657 420 259 15 RIHFLY DAKHLA SPORT CENTER [email protected] 28 KITEGLOBING Big Bay, Cape Town +39 348 85 80 870 Dakhla, Morocco +20 65 356 26 41 Bel Ombre, Palmar, [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.kitehouse-somabay.com Poste de Flaq [email protected] www.surfescapevillages.com +212 (0)672 285 009 22 ION CLUB SAFAGA [email protected] +27 21 554 1729 10 UHURU KITE ZANZIBAR www.dakhla-attitude.ma Safaga, Egypt +230 5717 5348 www.cabrinha.co.za [email protected] www.kiteglobing.com Jambiani, Zanzibar 16 DAKHLA EVASION [email protected] 3 LIQUID FORCE SA [email protected] Dakhla, Morocco +20 191173809 / +49 (0)881 9254 960 29 NKB FLAG SHOP Blouberg, Cape Town +255 62 888 4515 / +44 7796 986 711 [email protected] www.ion-club.net Le Morne, Mauritius [email protected] www.uhurukite-zanzibar.com +212 661 208819 [email protected] 23 SKATE SHACK +27 (0)21 556 8172 11 ION CLUB SAL www.dakhla-evasion.com [email protected] www.liquidforcect.co.za Kingdom of Bahrain +(230) 450 5480 / +(230) 450 5414 Sal, Cape Verde 17 ION CLUB LASSARGA [email protected] 4 THE MYSTIC HOUSE [email protected] Lassarga, Morocco M: +(230) 5255 5509 +973 17697176 www.kitesurf.mu Bloubergstrand, Cape Town [email protected] [email protected] www.skate-shack.com [email protected] +238 993 4799 / +49 (0)881 9254 960 [email protected] 24 SKATE SHACK 30 TOU KOREK SURF SHOP + 27 (0)731 435 902 www.ion-club.net +212 (0) 643-661894 / +49 (0)881 Doha, Qatar La Gaulette, Mauritius www.themystichouse.com 12 EXPLORA MOROCCO 9254 960 [email protected] [email protected] 5 HIGH FIVE, KITESURFSCHOOL Essaouira & Dakhla, Morocco www.ion-club.net +974 44692532 [email protected] +(230) 451 6017 / +(230) 451 6018 Bloubergstrand, Cape Town [email protected] 18 HARRY NASS KITEBOARDING www.skate-shack.com +212 611475188 / +44 7738 563883 Dahab & Hurghada, Egypt M: +(230) 5255 5509 [email protected] 25 AIRBORNE KITE & SURF VILLAGE www.kitesurf.mu + 27 (0)729 027 899 www.exploramorocco.com [email protected] Tanzania, Kenya www.high-five.co.za 13 ION CLUB ESSAOIURA +20 69 364 0559 [email protected] 31 BLUEPLANET KITE BEACH 6 KITE KAHUNAS Essaouira, Morocco www.harry-nass.com +255 (0) 776 687 357 Shuraabad Lagoon, Xizi, Azerbaijan Table View, Cape Town [email protected] 19 KITE TRIBE www.airbornekitecentre.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] El Gouna, Egypt 26 ION CLUB MAURITIUS [email protected] +27 83 463 2652 + 212 (0) 5 24 78 39 34 [email protected] Anse La Rae, Mauritius +994 (0)50 277 07 30 www.kitekahunas.com +49 (0)881 9254 960 +20 120 739 0448 [email protected] www.blueplanet.az www.ion-club.net www.kitetribe.org [email protected] 7 WATERSPORTS WAREHOUSE +230 59729568 / +49 (0)881 9254 960 Sunset Beach, Cape Town www.ion-club.net [email protected] www.ionclubmauritius.com +27 21 802 3934 www.watersportswarehouse.co.za AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST KITEWORLD UK SCHOOLS & SHOPS DIRECTORY EVEN MORE LISTINGS AT WWW.KITEWORLDMAG.COM

SCHOOLS SHOPS

1 ATLANTIC RIDERS 11 GENXSPORTS 1 ATBSHOP 6 POWERKITESHOP Newquay, Cornwall New Romney, Kent Swindon, Wiltshire Oldbury, West Midlands [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] +44 (0)7791 937 207 +44 (0)1797 458 070 +44 (0)1793 523255 +44 (0)121 544 9514 www.atlanticriders.co.uk +44 (0)7808 548 070 www.atbshop.co.uk www.powerkiteshop.com www.genxsports.co.uk 2 BLAST KITEBOARDING 2 BRACKLESHAM BOARDRIDERS 7 ROBIN HOOD WATERSPORTS Porthcawl, South Wales 12 RYE WATERSPORTS Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex Heckmondwike, [email protected] Kitesurfing Centre [email protected] West Yorkshire +44 (0)7712 831 951 Rye, East Sussex + 44 (0)1243 671777 [email protected] www.blastkiteboarding.co.uk [email protected] www.brackleshamboardriders.co.uk +44 (0)1924 444888 +44 (0)1797 225238 www.roho.co.uk 3 EXTREME ACADEMY www.ryewatersports.co.uk 3 EVOLUTION BOARDSPORTS Watergate Bay, Cornwall Lancing, Sussex 8 2XS [email protected] 13 HAMPSHIRE KITESURFING CENTRE [email protected] Online Store +44 (0)1637 860 840 Southampton + 44 (0)1903 764790 [email protected] www.extremeacademy.co.uk Shop & BKSA / IKO Certified School www.evolutionboardsports.com +44 (0)1243 512552 [email protected] www.2xs.co.uk 4 EDGE WATERSPORTS, +44 (0)7863 811 644 4 KING OF WATERSPORTS Exmouth, Devon www.hampshirekitesurfing.com Online Storesales@kingofwatersports. 9 GENXSPORTS [email protected] com+44 (0)1202 763 675www. New Romney, Kent +44 (0)1395 222 551 14 WILD DIAMOND WATERSPORTS kingofwatersports.com [email protected] www.egdewatersports.com Isle of Tiree, Scotland +44 (0)1797 458 070 [email protected] 5 CBK THE KITESURF SHOP +44 (0)7808 548 070 5 EASYRIDERS KITEBOARDING +44 (0)771 215 9205 Hayling Island, Hants www.genxsports.co.uk Whitecliffe, Poole, Dorset www.wilddiamond.co.uk [email protected] [email protected] +44 (0)7507 315105 +44 (0)1202 744 055 15 WINDSTALKER ISLAND KITE SPORTS www.cbk-haylingisland.com www.easyriderskiteboarding.com Isle Of Wight [email protected] 6 ESSEX KITESURF SCHOOL +44 (0)1983 613358 Southend-On-Sea, Essex www.windstalkerislandkitesports.com [email protected] 14 +44 (0)775 170 5558 16 2XS www.essexkitesurfschool.co.uk West Wittering, West Sussex [email protected] 7 CBK THE KITESURF SCHOOL +44 (0)1243 513077 Hayling Island, Hants www.2xs.co.uk [email protected] +44 (0)2392 422570 17 514ELEMENTAL www.cbk-haylingisland.com Westward Ho! North Devon [email protected] 8 PASTY ADVENTURES +44 (0)7565 621 446 Gwithian & Marazion,Cornwall www.514elemental.com [email protected] 07814 501 920 www.pastyadventures.co.uk

9 PURE MAGIC KITESURFING Dublin/Achill Island, Ireland [email protected] +353 (0)18054912 9 www.puremagic.ie

10 WINDHUNTERS Llandudno, Conwy 7 [email protected] +44 (0)7704 452 782 www.windhunters.co.uk 9 10

6

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8 KITEWORLD WORLDWIDE TO GET YOUR TRAVEL SERVICES TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION LISTED HERE EMAIL: DIRECTORY EVEN MORE LISTINGS AT WWW.KITEWORLDMAG.COM TRAVELKITEWORLDMAG.COM

THE AMERICAS EUROPE AFRICA EXOTIKITE BAJA HANG LOOSE BEACH THE BREAKERS DIVING KITEWORLDWIDE ZANZIBAR Baja, Mexico Beach Vacation Rentals Calabria, Italy & Surfing Lodge Jambiani [email protected] [email protected] Soma Bay, Red Sea, Egypt +44 2036 085 777 +521 624 165 2612 +39 3389511693 [email protected] www.kiteworldwide.com www.exotikite.com www.hangloosebeach.it +20 65 356 28 41 www.thebreakers-somabay.com DAKHLA ATTITUDE HOTEL PELICAN REEF RESORT TARIFA DIRECT Dakhla, Morocco La Ventana, Baja, Mexico Tarifa, Spain KITEWORLDWIDE CAPE TOWN booking@dakhla attitude.ma [email protected] [email protected] Sunset Beach +212 (0)672 285 009 +52 612 197 3689 +34 693 703 378 +44 2036 085 777 www.dakhla attitude.ma www.pelicanreefventana.com www.tarifadirect.com www.kiteworldwide.com EXPLORA MOROCCO ANCHORAGE YACHT CLUB HOTEL HURRICANE KITE KAHUNAS Essaouira & Dakhla, Morocco Clifton, St. Vincent & Grenadines Tarifa, Spain Table View, Cape Town [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] +212 611475188 / +44 7738 563883 +1 784 458 8221 +34 956 68 49 19 +27 83 463 2652 www.exploramorocco.com www.aycunionisland.com www.hotelhurricane.com www.kitekahunas.com KITEWORLDWIDE KENYA COCONUT BAY RESORT SURF CLUB KEROS CAPETOWNGURU.COM Mwazaro Beach / Shimoni Eau Piquant, St Lucia Keros Beach, Kalliopi Guest Houses & rentals +44 2036 085 777 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.kiteworldwide.com +44 (0)1582 792 260 +30 694 298 2102 +27 (0)845 543 262 www.cbayresort.com www.surfclubkeros.gr www.capetownguru.com ST. REGIS MAURITIUS RESORT Le Morne, Mauritius WINDHOEK RESORT LA BALLENA ALEGRE THE SURF SHACK [email protected] Windhoek, Bonaire Sant Pere Pescador Blouberg, Cape Town +230 403 9000 [email protected] Girona, Spain [email protected] www.stregismauritius.com +599 777 5483 [email protected] [email protected] www.windhoekbonaire.com +34 972 520 302 +27 21 554 3559 / +27 79 123 9883 www.ballena-alegre.com www.thesurfshack.co.za WAVES VILLAGE www.surfkitesleep.com Nag’s Head, Hatteras WINDSURF / KITE VILLAGE [email protected] Porto Pollo, Sardinia THE MYSTIC HOUSE ASIA +1 252 305 2629 [email protected] Bloubergstrand, Cape Town www.wavesvillage.com +39 0789 704075 Guest House KITESURFING LANKA www.windsurfvillage.it [email protected] Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka BARRA GRANDE KITE CAMP + 27 (0)731 435 902 [email protected] Barra Grande, Piauí, Brazil www.themystichouse.com +94 77 368 6235 [email protected] +55 (86) 3369 8019 SANDYSHORES (LIQUID FORCE) VAYU MANNAR www.barragrandekitecamp.com.br Blouberg, Cape Town Mannar, Sri Lanka [email protected] [email protected] KITEWORLDWIDE BRAZIL +27 (0)21 557 3348 +94 77 368 6235 Tatajuba, Brazil www.sandyshores.co.za www.kitesurfingmannar.com +44 2036 085 777 www.kiteworldwide.com FRIDAY ISLAND DE SILVA WINDRESORT Langebaan, South Africa Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka HURRICANE JERI [email protected] office@surfschool srilanka.com Jericoacoara, Brazil +27 22 772 2506 +94 777 047 817 / +94 324 934 076 [email protected] www.fridayisland.co.za www.surfschool srilanka.com +55 (88) 9766 5968 www.hotel-hurricane-jericoacoara.com AIRBORNE KITE & SURF VILLAGE DOLPHIN BEACH RESORT Paje Beach, Zanzibar Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka VILAREJO [email protected] [email protected] Barra Grande, Piauí, Brazil +255 (0) 776 687 357 +94 777 723 272 [email protected] www.airbornekitecentre.com www.dolphinbeach.lk www.vilarejobarragrande.com UHURU BEACH RESORT KITESURFNAM RANCHO DO PEIXE Jambiani, Zanzibar, Tanzania Mui Ne, Kalpitiya, Vietnam Praia do Preá, CE, Brazil [email protected] Villas & Beach Hotels, Lessons & Rentals [email protected] +255 779 041 645 [email protected] +55 88 3660.3118 / 4353 www.uhurubeach.com +84 122 691 0538 www.ranchodopeixe.com.br www.vietnamkitesurfingholidays.com SURFESCAPE VILLAGE VILA KALANGO Pwani Mchangani, Zanzibar Jericoacoara, CE, Brazil +255 657 420 259 [email protected] +39 348 85 80 870 +55 88 3669.2289 / 99961.9364 [email protected] www.vilakalango.com.br www.surfescapevillages.com VILLA MANGO UHURU BEACH RESORT Icaraizinho, Brazil Jambiani, Zanzibar [email protected] [email protected] +55 85 98703 2820 +255 779 041 645 www.villamango.com.br www.uhurubeach.com BEACH HOUSE PREA Prea, Brazil [email protected] +55 88 99949 3347 www.beachhouseprea.com VILA PREA Prea, Brazil [email protected] +55 88 3660-3158 www.vilaprea.com I 144 / FINAL / THOUGHT I

FINAL THOUGHT THE GAME IS IN THE NAME WORDS – JIM GAUNT

was there the day that spectators in Leucate bore witness he did it. He caught the imagination and suddenly there was a to the biggest mega loop in the world in April. It was very collective appetite for no-wind air-time. Isurreal watching kite action in stunning weather without The Hawaiian set a record for kite tow-up in 2013 when he howling winds whistling around my ears. released his boat’s rope at 790 feet up over Hood River in the When the first event of the brand new GKA Kiteboarding USA. In preparation for that stunt, and many times since then, World Tour ‘Air Games’ drew the short straw and became the he’s racked up over 200 tow-ups. He spent four days steadily first week in Leucate’s 20 year history of staging the ‘Mondial du coaching riders through their first pulls. Inevitably riders Vent’ watersports festival with absolutely no contestable wind pushed the boundaries more and more. conditions, people pinched themselves. Our kitesurfing kites are in no way made for towing up behind It had to happen at some point because the Mondial du a boat. They’re designed to have air travelling through them, not Vent has had an amazing run of success and it would have been directly up into the canopy from below, so these stunts should acceptable for the riders and crew to have just accepted it and absolutely not be copied and in some ways it’s a wonder that no had a Mediterranean beach holiday for the week. one was injured. Natural born thriller, Jesse Richman spent several This combined tour will find the most complete twin-tip rider There’s an energy among this crew though that features hours every day marshalling the tow-up in Leucate, helping riders minimise their risk at the end of four events and it inspired the current wakestyle some of the most creative and competitive riders in the sport. elite, Carlos Mario and Liam Whaley, to sign up alongside long- There’s an excitement about letting kitesurfing competition standing high profilers, Aaron Hadlow, Kevin Langeree and Jesse breathe more naturally again and these riders are ready to put Richman. The men’s and women’s ladder were littered with high the ‘show’ back at the heart of events. achieving riders looking for the ultimate all-round challenge. The tow-up sessions were just a show for the crowds. When you put riders of the ilk attracted to the Air Games Officially there was no competitive reward. Do you think inside in one place for a week though, things tend to happen. Jesse there wasn’t already a tussle for aerial pride going on at 30 Main image: Richman decided that no wind was no problem on the second metres up, though? Power adapter, French rider Paul Serin. day in Leucate and got one of the jet-ski drivers to tow him up Unified and focused, the tour moves to Tarifa for the next Kites are not designed for this and tow-up stunts should never be attempted withhiskite,kickingoffwhatwouldbecomeafourdayexhibition attempt at setting kiteboarding competition alight from 27th Photos: Toby Bromwich / GKA Kiteboarding World Tour of stunts. It was something and nothing. The ski was there, so June where anything could happen. KW WHY FAIR TRADE?

Because it supports the workers who build our gear. The surf industry doesn’t like talking about what goes on behind the scenes. There’s a simple reason for that: It’s a business that often puts its own profi t ahead of the welfare of workers. But by making our boardshorts in a Fair Trade Certifi ed™ facility, we’re helping change things for the better while ensuring that the people who make our gear are treated with respect.

Reo Stevens racks up tube time on a wind-whipped morning at Cloudbreak. Fiji. STU JOHNSON © 2018 Patagonia, Inc. I 146 / SUBSCRIBE / TO KITEWORLD I

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Nick J seen Ja e ldi See all the new gear at cabrinhakites.com